Key facts
- Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine.
- 20,000 doses are designated for clinical trials against the current virus strain.
- The current Ebola outbreak in the DRC is the deadliest in the country's history.
- The outbreak has recorded 4,945 confirmed cases and at least 2,325 deaths.
- The current outbreak is spreading faster than previous major Ebola outbreaks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine as its current outbreak becomes the deadliest in the country's history. The World Health Organization announced the allocation, with 20,000 doses earmarked for clinical trials to assess the vaccine's effectiveness against the specific Bundibugyo virus strain responsible for the surge. The remaining 50,000 doses are designated for front-line health workers.
The outbreak has now surpassed the 2018-2020 outbreak in terms of fatalities, with at least 2,325 deaths and 4,945 confirmed cases. The virus is spreading at an unprecedented rate, significantly faster than previous major Ebola outbreaks, including the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. Six of the DRC's 26 provinces are affected, primarily along the north-eastern border, with Ituri province recording the highest number of cases.
Challenges in containing the outbreak include attacks on healthcare facilities, misinformation, and a preference for home-based care, leading to many cases being detected late. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in May, noting that sequencing indicated it began months earlier. Symptoms of Ebola include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash, and it is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials.