Congo Ebola outbreak nears record size as vaccine development gains funding

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the brink of recording its second-largest Ebola outbreak, with 3,360 laboratory-confirmed cases reported as of July 27. The rapid expansion, concentrated in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces, follows just 2½ months since health officials first detected the virus. The strain involved, Bundibugyo, currently lacks an approved vaccine.

In response, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations announced an $8.5 million investment to enable Singapore-based Hilleman Laboratories to create vaccine doses using the same technology that underpins Merck’s Ebola Zaire product. Early batches for trial use could be ready soon, while full-scale manufacturing is projected to take roughly six and a half months. Health experts note that the accelerated effort could curb the outbreak if clinical testing proves successful. The situation underscores the challenges of responding to fast-moving epidemics in remote regions of central Africa.