DR Congo launches Ebola vaccination drive after 2 deaths

DOUALA, Cameroon

The Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday launched an Ebola vaccination campaign in the northwestern city of Mbandaka, where an ongoing outbreak has claimed two lives since last week.

The immunization drive is based on a “ring strategy” where all people who have had contact with a confirmed Ebola patient are given the vaccine, along with frontline and health workers, according to a World Health Organization statement.

WHO has recorded two cases, both deceased, since the outbreak began in Mbandaka last week, while 233 contacts have been identified and are under surveillance.

“With effective vaccines on hand and the experience of health workers in DR Congo in the response to Ebola, it is possible to change the course of this epidemic,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.

This is the 14th Ebola outbreak in DR Congo since 1976, with six of them having occurred since 2018.

DR Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research carried out an analysis of a sample from the first confirmed case of the ongoing outbreak, which showed “a new spill-over event from the host or animal reservoir,” read the statement.

“Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the new outbreak and how it came to infect the first confirmed case,” it added.​​​​​​​