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The Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine against Ebola to protect health workers and for clinical trials, according to a statement published on the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
“The shipment includes 20,000 doses for a Phase 3 clinical trial to understand the vaccine’s effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus, as well as 50,000 doses for frontline workers and healthcare workers, in line with current recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization,” the WHO statement said.
The international organisation stressed that it is not known for certain whether the Ervebo vaccine protects people against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. Data from early animal studies suggest that it may provide some protection. The Ervebo vaccine is licensed for the prevention of Zaire ebolavirus.
In this regard, the WHO said clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should provide additional data that will determine the future use of the Ervebo vaccine.
The outbreak, which began in the DRC and Uganda on May 15, has already become the second deadliest in the history of the disease in Africa. The virus has been reported in six provinces of the Congo, with the epicentre in Ituri province. Ugandan authorities announced on July 28 that the Ebola outbreak in their country had ended. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus.
The death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC stands at 2,378, while the number of people affected has exceeded 5,000.