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Congo receives first 16,000 doses of possible Ebola vaccine
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Congo has received 16,250 doses of the Ervebo vaccine amid the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, with more doses expected soon as part of a 70,000-dose shipment from the WHO and partners.
- The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which lacks an approved treatment or vaccine and can be difficult to detect due to symptom similarities with other diseases like malaria.
- Although Ervebo is licensed for Ebola and has been effective in past outbreaks, the WHO notes it may offer some protection against the Bundibugyo virus.
- The outbreak has resulted in 2,557 deaths from 5,375 confirmed cases across six provinces and is spreading rapidly, potentially surpassing the West Africa outbreak that killed over 11,000 people between 2014 and 2016.
- Data indicates transmission has not peaked and could increase to three times the current known rate, highlighting the urgency of the response efforts.
