DRC begins vaccinating front-line healthcare workers against Ebola
Summary
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has started vaccinating front-line health workers against Ebola using a vaccine licensed for a different strain. There is no approved vaccine for the current Bundibugyo strain, and clinical trials are underway to find one.Key Facts
- The DRC is prioritizing health workers and front-line staff for Ebola vaccination.
- The vaccine being used is approved for another Ebola strain, not the Bundibugyo strain currently spreading.
- Over 50,000 doses of the vaccine have arrived in the DRC.
- The outbreak is mainly in the Ituri province, near the border with Uganda.
- About 20,000 vaccine doses will be used in trials to test effectiveness against the new strain.
- The DRC has recorded 5,713 confirmed Ebola cases and 2,744 deaths so far.
- The outbreak is the deadliest in the DRC’s history and is still spreading.
- Challenges include insecurity, a health worker strike, and population movements.
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