Nigeria’s Ebola case is Swiss, and she never went near the DR Congo

On October 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the initiation of the world's first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in response to the country's worst-ever Ebola outbreak, which has claimed over 4,600 lives and infected more than 9,700 individuals. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, has posed significant challenges due to the lack of approved vaccines or treatments specifically targeting this strain.

To address this, the Ervebo vaccine, which has been approved for use against the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, will be subject to a large-scale human trial in DRC, aiming to determine if it offers any cross-protection against the Bundibugyo virus. This trial, named Tumaini, which means 'hope' in Swahili, commenced with the first participant receiving the vaccine in Bunia, the capital of the DRC's Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed optimism about the trial, stating it could provide crucial insights into the efficacy of vaccines designed for the Bundibugyo virus. The trial will employ a ring vaccination approach, immunizing high-risk contacts, and is set to incorporate two Bundibugyo-specific candidate vaccines in development by the University of Oxford and the US-based Moderna group.

Both vaccines, funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), are expected to join the trial soon. If successful, this trial would mark the first time there is clear evidence of vaccine efficacy against the Bundibugyo virus, potentially transforming the response to this outbreak and future outbreaks, and saving lives.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, leading the WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern, its second-highest alert level.