What are the Ebola vaccines under research, and when will they be ready?

East Africa is grappling with a rapidly spreading Ebola epidemic, prompting governments to scramble for containment measures. The outbreak, triggered by a rare and deadly strain of the virus, was first declared by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on May 15 in the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The disease has since crossed borders, reaching neighboring Uganda, which shares border communities with the DRC.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency just two days after the outbreak was announced, by which time hundreds had already been infected. Adding to the challenge, the WHO warned last week that ongoing conflict in the DRC is significantly hampering efforts to contain Ebola’s spread. Healthcare resources in the affected eastern DRC provinces are already severely limited due to the persistent conflict between armed rebels and the Congolese army.

As of June 2, the WHO reported at least 321 confirmed cases and 116 suspected cases in the DRC, with 48 recorded deaths and six recoveries. Uganda has confirmed 15 cases, including in the capital Kampala, with at least one death. Experts caution that this outbreak could rival some of the most severe Ebola epidemics, such as the West Africa outbreak in 2014, which infected approximately 29,000 people and caused over 11,000 deaths within two years. The current situation is described as bleak, exacerbated by a lack of vaccines and protective gear for health workers.

"It’s always challenging to respond to any Ebola outbreak, and this is in the context where there are already massive humanitarian needs," said Trish Newport, deputy manager of Ebola programmes in DRC for Doctors Without Borders (MSF). She noted that funding cuts are also a significant concern.

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It’s always challenging to respond to any Ebola outbreak, and this is in the context where there are already massive humanitarian needs.