Congo to Receive 70,000 Ervebo Doses Amid Fastest Ebola Outbreak
Congo will get 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses to fight its fastest Ebola outbreak, with 20,000 earmarked for a Bundibugyo trial.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, a move announced Thursday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners. The allocation is seen as a significant boost to containment efforts in what officials have described as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record.
The Ervebo vaccine is currently licensed for use against the Ebola virus, but not against the Bundibugyo virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak. However, the WHO noted that early laboratory and animal data suggest the vaccine may offer some cross-protection against Bundibugyo, though this remains unconfirmed.
Of the total allocation, 20,000 doses will be used in a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the vaccine's impact on the Bundibugyo virus. The remaining 50,000 doses are earmarked for frontline and health workers, following recommendations from WHO experts.
This delivery marks a critical step in responding to the outbreak, providing both immediate protection for those at highest risk and generating data that could shape future vaccination strategies against less common Ebola strains.