Congo launches Ebola vaccinations as outbreak worsens
Congo began vaccinating frontline workers against Ebola in Kisangani, targeting the deadliest outbreak on record, with over 5,700 cases and 2,700 deaths.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has started vaccinating people against Ebola in a bid to slow the deadliest outbreak of the disease the country has ever recorded. The campaign was officially launched on Thursday in Kisangani, the capital of the eastern Tshopo province, according to Health Minister Roger Kamba.
Health workers and others on the front lines of the Ebola response are the first to receive the vaccine. "We have decided to use the Ervebo vaccine to protect first those who are on the front line, therefore our health care providers, but also people who have been in contact with patients," Kamba said.
The outbreak has spread across six provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uele, and Bas-Uele. As of Tuesday, the government reported 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths, a fatality rate of about 48 percent.
The epidemic is unfolding under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers' strike, and intense population movements. The World Health Organization has said the outbreak remains out of control and could surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.
More than 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been received, according to Congo's state news agency. The WHO last week approved 70,000 doses for use in the country, with 50,000 earmarked for frontline and health workers and 20,000 for a clinical trial.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo type of Ebola virus, while Ervebo is approved for the Zaire strain. There is no approved vaccine specifically for Bundibugyo, so the vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use program. Health authorities believe Ervebo may offer some protection because the two viruses are related, but its effectiveness against Bundibugyo is still under study.
Placide Mbala Kingebeni, Africa CDC's director for research, clinical trials, and innovation, said data will be collected during the campaign to measure how well the vaccine works. The campaign is expected to cover 14 health zones in Tshopo, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele provinces.
Kamba strongly encouraged health workers to get vaccinated, saying the vaccine could protect them from the disease and help prevent them from carrying the virus into their communities.