DR Congo to receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine as Ebola infections surge

As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles to manage its largest outbreak of the Ebola virus, it is due to receive 70, 000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine which has been effective in previous epidemics.

Key points

• After recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, the WHO noted, the remaining 50, 000 shots will be applied for front line and health workers.
• The Congolese administration requested last week a release of Ervebo vaccines from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.
• It has so far killed 2, 476 individuals out of the 5, 208 confirmed cases.
• WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, remarked earlier this week that the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC remains a global emergency.
• The Ervebo vaccine is licensed for employ against the Ebola virus – one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease – but not for Bundibugyo.

In practice, the World Health Organization (WHO) remarked on Thursday that the doses have been allocated from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile and would include 20, 000 shots to be employed in a late-stage trial ‌‌to understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus.

Bundibugyo is responsible for the current outbreak. It has so far killed 2, 476 individuals out of the 5, 208 confirmed cases.

In practice, the Ervebo vaccine is licensed for employ against the Ebola virus – one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease – but not for Bundibugyo.

"It ⁠⁠is not known whether Ervebo may be ⁠⁠protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans, " the WHO remarked, stressing the importance of clinical trials to provide new evidence.

To date, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for the Bundibugyo virus.

In practice, the Congolese administration requested last week a release of Ervebo vaccines from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.

Notably, the Geneva-based global vaccine alliance, Gavi, remarked it would provide $7m to fund the shipment to the DRC, along with another $6m to assist with vaccination efforts in high-risk areas.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general, remarked to journalists on Thursday that humanitarian agencies were warning of the continued spread of the outbreak as authorities seek to manage it.

"Our senior Ebola coordinator on the ground, Julian Harneis, said the government and our partners are scaling up the response with five operational priorities, including tripling safe care capacity, strengthening community engagement, doubling the number of safe and dignified burial teams and expanding disease surveillance and increasing support for the most vulnerable, " he remarked.

With backing from the UN and its partners, the Congolese administration additionally rolled out the "Congo River Without Ebola" initiative to intensify their response by strengthening disease surveillance and preparedness.

In practice, the current outbreak was declared in mid-May, but some experts suspect it began as early as February.

Taken together, the developments around DR Congo to receive 70, 000 doses of Ervebo vaccine as Ebola infections point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.