The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun an urgent vaccination campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the country’s first Ebola outbreak in three years. The effort targets frontline health workers and individuals who have had contact with confirmed cases in Kasai Province.
An initial batch of 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine has arrived in Bulape, the outbreak’s epicenter, drawn from a national reserve of 2,000 doses. To bolster containment efforts, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved the shipment of an additional 45,000 doses.
Declared in early September, the outbreak has so far led to 32 suspected cases, 20 confirmed infections, and 16 deaths, according to the DRC’s health ministry in Kinshasa. The virus, which thrives in the country’s dense tropical forests, has now spread beyond Bulape, with a case confirmed 70 kilometers away, raising alarms about wider transmission.
WHO Programme Area Manager Patrick Otim warned of a moderate risk of cross-border spread, particularly to Angola, and stressed the importance of swift action. “Delays in response could make containment far more difficult,” Otim said.
Aid organizations have voiced concern over diminishing international support and reduced foreign assistance, which could hamper efforts to control the outbreak. With the virus threatening to expand, health officials are racing against time to prevent a broader crisis.
