DR Congo Begins Ebola Vaccinations in Kisangani as Outbreak Passes 5,600 Cases

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On Thursday, the Democratic Republic of Congo initiated an Ebola vaccination campaign in Kisangani, Tshopo province, to combat an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain that has caused at least 5,600 cases and 2,700 deaths since mid-May. Health Minister Roger Kamba participated in the rollout, which prioritizes health and frontline workers using the Ervebo vaccine. Because Ervebo is licensed for the Zaire strain rather than the Bundibugyo strain, 20,000 of the 70,000 incoming doses are designated for a clinical trial to determine the vaccine's efficacy against the current virus.

Consequences

The deployment of the vaccine as part of a clinical trial will allow health authorities to collect data on whether Ervebo provides protection against the Bundibugyo strain. As the World Health Organization estimates that actual infection numbers could be two to four times higher than reported, the ongoing vaccination efforts and trial results will be critical to managing what is now Congo's largest Ebola outbreak on record.

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