Ebola vaccine administered to health workers in Ituri as outbreak accelerates
On Saturday health personnel in Bunia, Ituri province received the Ervebo Ebola vaccine as part of a test program aimed at protecting frontline staff. The campaign is supported by the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders and will monitor the recipients for up to a year. The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain, has produced 7,541 confirmed infections and 3,639 deaths across the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Officials plan to expand vaccination to other hard‑hit areas, while the effectiveness of the Zaire‑strain vaccine against Bundibugyo is still being evaluated. Health workers and doctors welcomed the shots, saying immunity is essential for treating patients.
How this was covered
- Reported deaths range from 2,911 to 6,000 across outlets
Why it matters
Vaccinating those on the front lines could help curb the spread of the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country's history.
How this story developed
- Aug 23 Ebola toll in DRC climbs to over 5,500 cases as Pope calls for global aid
- Aug 31 The epidemic has spread to the Biena and Manguredjipa health zones, increasing the total number of affected zones to 60.
- Sep 1 More than 50,000 vaccine doses arrived for frontline workers.
- Sep 2 Confirmed cases rise to 6,186 and deaths increase to 3,007.
- Sep 13 A case confirmed in South‑Ubangi marked the virus’s spread to a seventh province.
- Sep 17 Confirmed cases have risen to over 7,200 and deaths to more than 3,500 since the outbreak was first declared.
- Sep 21 Vaccination of frontline health workers began in Ituri province.
