ADDIS ABABA — Africa’s top public health agency is coordinating the deployment of Ebola vaccine doses as part of the response to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where health authorities are expanding vaccination efforts despite uncertainty over protection against the virus strain driving the epidemic.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has been working with Congolese authorities and international partners as the outbreak, caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus, continues to spread in parts of Central Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, and Africa CDC declared a continental public health emergency in May.
The vaccine being used in the response is the Ervebo vaccine, which is licensed and recommended for outbreaks caused by Zaire ebolavirus. Health authorities have been assessing its potential role in the current outbreak, although WHO has said there is insufficient evidence to confirm that it provides protection against Bundibugyo virus disease.
The current outbreak has presented additional challenges because Bundibugyo virus is a different Ebola species from the Zaire strain responsible for previous major outbreaks, and there are no licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics approved for Bundibugyo virus disease. Response teams have relied on surveillance, infection prevention measures, community engagement, clinical care and research efforts while monitoring vaccine options.
Congo’s health authorities have reported a rapid increase in infections, with the outbreak surpassing 4,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,800 deaths, according to recent official figures. Cases have been reported across several provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, while response operations have been complicated by insecurity, limited health infrastructure and difficulties reaching affected communities.
Health officials have also expanded monitoring efforts after a suspected Ebola case linked to travel on a riverboat prompted screening of hundreds of passengers near Kinshasa. Authorities deployed testing capacity and continued investigations while awaiting confirmation of suspected cases.
Africa CDC and partner organizations have continued supporting national authorities with outbreak coordination, laboratory capacity, surveillance and emergency response activities. Officials have not announced that a vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus is available, and current efforts remain focused on containing transmission and evaluating available interventions.
