Key facts
- Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine.
- The vaccine's effectiveness against the current Bundibugyo virus strain is not fully known, but early data suggests potential protection.
- The outbreak has resulted in 5,208 confirmed cases and 2,476 deaths.
- The current outbreak is spreading significantly faster than previous major Ebola outbreaks.
- Doses will be allocated for clinical trials and for front-line health workers.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, a development hailed as a significant boost to containment efforts for what officials describe as the fastest Ebola outbreak in history. The World Health Organization and its partners announced the allocation on Thursday.
While Ervebo is licensed for the Ebola virus, its efficacy against the Bundibugyo virus, which is driving the current outbreak, is not yet fully established. However, early laboratory and animal data suggest it may offer some protection. Of the total doses, 20,000 will be used for a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess its impact on the Bundibugyo virus, with the remaining 50,000 designated for front-line and health workers.
The current outbreak, raging across six eastern provinces, has infected 5,208 people and claimed 2,476 lives, spreading at a rate approximately three times faster than the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision confirmed the doses would be released immediately following a request from the Congolese government.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus characterized the vaccine approval as an important example of global solidarity. The lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus has been a major challenge, with most new cases occurring outside of monitored populations, indicating the virus's rapid spread and contributing to the high death toll. The overall case fatality rate stands at 47.5%, but it is significantly higher in some areas, reaching up to 70% in North Kivu province. Experts believe the virus may have been circulating since February, originating from the mining town of Mongbwalu.