DR Congo launches Ebola vaccine rollout for frontline health staff

In response to the worst Ebola epidemic the DRC has faced, authorities have begun inoculating health workers and other frontline staff, starting in the city of Kisangani. The vaccine being used this week is licensed for a different Ebola strain, and its efficacy against the Bundibugyo variant has not yet been established. More than 50,000 doses were delivered, health minister Samuel Roger Kamba announced, and the rollout will initially target provinces surrounding the Ituri hotspot before moving toward the epicenter.

The World Health Organization recently approved 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine for the country, allocating about 20,000 for a trial to gauge effectiveness against the new strain. As of Tuesday, official figures recorded 5,713 confirmed infections and 2,744 deaths, with the outbreak spreading amid insecurity, displacement, a health-workers strike and large-scale population movements. Health officials warn the situation could exceed the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak if containment fails.