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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
The DRC has begun administering the Ervebo vaccine to frontline and healthcare workers under compassionate use, as its Ebola outbreak — driven by the Bundibugyo strain — becomes the second deadliest in history. WHO has allocated 70,000 doses, with 50,000 for workers and 20,000 for a phase 3 trial to test cross-protection. The outbreak has now spread to 60 health zones, with nearly 5,800 confirmed cases and over 2,700 deaths.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has launched an Ebola vaccination campaign, administering the first doses of the Ervebo vaccine to frontline and healthcare workers under a compassionate use program. The move comes as the country's Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak — the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded — continues to escalate. WHO has allocated 70,000 Ervebo doses in total: 50,000 for frontline workers and 20,000 for a late-stage phase 3 clinical trial to assess whether the vaccine, which targets Ebola Zaire, offers cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain. Gavi is funding $13 million toward the effort.
Animal studies and anecdotal reports from the field suggest Ervebo may offer some protection against Bundibugyo, though this has not been confirmed in humans. WHO has stressed the importance of informed consent for all vaccine recipients given the uncertainty. The IHR Emergency Committee is calling for urgent scale-ups in treatment centers, infection prevention, and community engagement to reverse the outbreak's trajectory.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: This outbreak is on track to surpass the deadliest Ebola event in history. The compassionate use of Ervebo — and the accompanying clinical trial — could be a turning point, but only if paired with rapid community engagement and containment measures.
