DR Congo to get 70,000 Ebola vaccines to contain outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been allocated 70,000 Ervebo vaccines from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile for use in the current fast spreading Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

The government requested a release of Ervebo vaccines last week from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.

In a statement, the WHO said vaccine allocation includes 20,000 doses for a Phase 3 clinical trial to better understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus, while 50,000 shots will be used for frontline and health workers, following recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.

To date, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved against the Bundibugyo virus.

Ervebo vaccine is licensed and recommended for use in outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (previously called Zaire ebolavirus).

It is not known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans, but the WHO said early laboratory and animal data suggests it may provide some protection.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the vaccine provision demonstrated "an important example of global solidarity in action."

Tedros said together with partners and national authorities, the WHO remains "committed to supporting strengthened surveillance, rapid detection, community engagement and vaccination efforts to bring the outbreak under control."

Deaths from Ebola in Congo has surpassed the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the deadliest in the country's history.

Confirmed infections in the current Ebola outbreak have reached 5,208, including 2,476 deaths, according to the latest Health Ministry situation update. The case fatality rate stands at 47.5%.

The epidemic has affected 56 health zones across six provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele and Tshopo.

Some 730 patients are in isolation or hospital, while 1,115 people have recovered.

Earlier this week, the WHO said that the current Ebola outbreak in Congo remains a public health emergency of international concern.