Congo begins Ebola vaccinations with unapproved vaccine species

Frontline health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are now receiving vaccinations in a race to contain the country's most severe Ebola outbreak to date. The campaign began Thursday, prioritizing those most at risk in provinces grappling with the epidemic.

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Congo had received more than 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine and would begin vaccinations in provinces affected by the outbreak, prioritizing health workers.

Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba announced that over 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have arrived. However, a critical challenge remains: Ervebo is licensed against the Zaire species of Ebola, not the Bundibugyo species causing the current outbreak. No vaccine or treatment is currently approved for the Bundibugyo strain.

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Ervebo is licensed against the Zaire species of Ebola and was used successfully in previous outbreaks. The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo species, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

Despite this, authorities are proceeding with vaccinations, citing early animal studies that suggest Ervebo could offer some protection against the Bundibugyo species. A clinical trial is now underway, utilizing 20,000 of the 70,000 doses allocated to Congo, to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness in humans against this specific strain. Meanwhile, several other vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo species are in development by institutions like the University of Oxford and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.

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Early animal studies suggest Ervebo could provide some protection against Bundibugyo, and authorities are using 20,000 of the 70,000 doses allocated to Congo in a clinical trial to assess its effectiveness in humans.

The vaccination campaign commenced in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo province, one of six affected regions. Minister Kamba stated the effort would first focus on provinces surrounding Ituri, where the outbreak was initially detected and remains most concentrated, before expanding inward. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has already infected 5,794 people and claimed 2,786 lives, marking it as the world's second deadliest Ebola epidemic on record.

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The outbreak, declared on May 15, has infected 5,794 people and killed 2,786, according to the latest government figures, making it the world's second deadliest Ebola epidemic on record.