The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to roll out an Ebola vaccine, with some doses being used in a clinical trial to assess its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus species currently circulating in the country. This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stark warning that the outbreak is “growing exponentially,” with close to 2,500 deaths now recorded.
The outbreak, declared three months ago, is now the deadliest in DR Congo’s history and the second-worst ever, surpassed only by the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic that claimed over 11,000 lives. The situation is rapidly deteriorating, with WHO Ebola coordinator Julien Harneis reporting that half of the fatalities have occurred in just the last 20 days.
The Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus is rarer than the more common Zaïre strain, with only two known prior outbreaks. Currently, there are no proven vaccines or treatments specifically for this species. Experts believe the virus may have been circulating as early as February but was initially misdiagnosed as typhoid and malaria, delaying the response.
Complicating matters further, the outbreak has spread across an area larger than France, encompassing conflict-hit regions where health teams face significant access challenges. Local suspicions of health authorities, along with traditional burial practices, have also hampered containment efforts. The M23 rebel group, which controls parts of eastern DR Congo, has imposed movement restrictions between government-held and rebel-held areas to prevent further spread, highlighting the complexities of responding to a health emergency amid ongoing hostilities.
The WHO has confirmed that 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which is known to protect against the Zaïre species, will be used in a clinical trial to test its effectiveness against Bundibugyo. An additional 50,000 doses will be administered to frontline health workers. The WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have welcomed the allocation, calling it a vital reinforcement of the response.
The human toll of the outbreak is devastating, with a new report by Save the Children indicating that at least 180 Congolese children have lost both parents or caregivers since the crisis began. Symptoms of Ebola, which can appear suddenly and include fever, headache, and tiredness, can progress to vomiting, diarrhoea, and organ failure. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids, making it highly contagious and difficult to contain.
