Bunia, DR Congo (Running Africa) — The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun vaccinating frontline health workers against Ebola as authorities intensify efforts to contain the country’s largest and deadliest outbreak of the disease.
The vaccination campaign began on September 19 in Bunia, Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, with health workers and others directly involved in the Ebola response receiving priority.
Vaccinations are also targeting frontline workers in nearby Mongbwalu, with authorities aiming to reach about 20,000 people across Ituri and North Kivu.
DR Congo Uses Ervebo Vaccine as Researchers Study Bundibugyo Strain
Health authorities are administering Ervebo, a vaccine licensed to protect against Zaire ebolavirus.
However, the current DR Congo outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a less common Ebola virus for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment.
Researchers are therefore conducting a clinical trial alongside the vaccination campaign to determine whether Ervebo can provide protection against the Bundibugyo strain.
Early laboratory and animal research suggests the vaccine could offer some protection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), but its effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus in humans has not been established.
WHO Allocates 70,000 Ebola Vaccine Doses to DR Congo
WHO has allocated 70,000 vaccine doses to DR Congo as part of the outbreak response.
Of those, 50,000 doses are intended for health and frontline workers, while another 20,000 have been allocated to the clinical trial.
Protecting health workers is particularly important because of their increased risk of exposure while identifying, treating and caring for Ebola patients.
Ebola Outbreak Spreads Across Six Provinces
As of September 7, DR Congo had recorded 6,757 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,267 deaths, according to WHO figures.
The outbreak has spread across six provinces and 61 health zones, placing additional pressure on health authorities attempting to trace contacts and interrupt transmission.
Insecurity and population movements in affected areas have further complicated containment efforts.
The vaccination campaign now forms part of a broader response involving surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and clinical research as DR Congo works to bring the outbreak under control.
