DR Congo Rushes Ebola Vaccine as Outbreak Spreads

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for urgent deployment of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the country's outbreak continues to worsen.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya called the DRC government's decision to deploy the vaccine "a big step" in tackling the rapidly escalating Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. Speaking at an online briefing Thursday, he said the DRC has requested 100,000 doses from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision to be used for clinical trials with vaccinating frontline workers and protecting high-risk groups.

"The current emergency risks becoming the deadliest the country has faced, and we cannot allow that trajectory to continue" Kaseya said.

The outbreak has now spread to a sixth province after Buta health zone in Bas-Uele was added to the affected list and bringing the total to 54 affected health zones. As of the latest update 4,665 cases and 2,184 deaths have been recorded with a fatality rate of 46.8%. Ituri province remains the epicentre. So far 965 people have recovered.

The DRC declared the outbreak on May 15 after identifying the Bundibugyo strain for which no licensed vaccine currently exists. Ervebo, though approved only for the more common Zaire strain has shown potential cross-protection in early studies also prompting health officials to consider it a strategic option despite the mismatch.

Vaccination will initially target high-risk groups like contacts of confirmed cases, healthcare and burial workers and community leaders in areas with high transmission.

The decision was among measures agreed at a high-level meeting in Kinshasa last week between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, Kaseya and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.