The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially begun a vaccination campaign in response to a new outbreak of Ebola, which has so far claimed 28 lives since late August.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first batch of 400 vaccine doses was distributed on Sunday in Bulape, a town located in the Kasai province, which has become the epicenter of the outbreak.
This latest epidemic is the first since 2022, when six people were killed by the virus.
The DRC’s most devastating outbreak occurred between 2018 and 2020, resulting in 2,300 deaths out of 3,500 reported cases.
As of Sunday, Congolese health officials reported 81 confirmed cases and 28 deaths. The first case was identified on August 20, involving a 34-year-old pregnant woman.
The WHO estimates the current fatality rate to be approximately 35%, a figure consistent with past Ebola epidemics.
The first shipment of vaccines is being administered to high-risk groups, including frontline health workers and Close contacts of infected individuals.
The WHO said these measures are aimed at curbing the virus’s spread while a larger supply of vaccines is on the way.
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved the delivery of an additional 45,000 doses to the DRC in the coming weeks.
Ebola was first identified in what is now the DRC (then Zaire) in 1976.
In the past 50 years, the virus has killed nearly 15,000 people across Africa.
The disease is highly contagious and is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. Symptoms include severe bleeding, organ failure and can lead to death in a matter of days.
The fatality rate from Ebola epidemics can range from 25% to 90%, depending on the strain and speed of response.
The WHO confirmed that the Zaire strain, the most deadly and most common form of the virus, is responsible for this outbreak.
While vaccines exist for this particular strain, not all known Ebola strains are covered by current vaccines, leaving gaps in global preparedness.
The outbreak has raised alarms across the region. Countries like Sierra Leone and Nigeria have already activated Ebola response systems to monitor possible cross-border risks and prevent new infections.
