Congo begins Ebola vaccinations against world's fastest-growing outbreak

Authorities are deploying a vaccine already proven against a related Ebola strain as trials continue on a new jab designed specifically for Bundibugyo virus. Congo began vaccinating people against Ebola on Thursday as health authorities work to slow the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease in history. Health workers and other frontline responders are being prioritised to receive the Ervebo vaccine that was effective in past Ebola outbreaks caused by a different, more common strain. Clinical trials are under way to find a licensed jab for the current outbreak. “We have decided to use the Ervebo vaccine to protect first those who are on the front line,” Health Minister Roger Kamba said at the launch of the vaccination campaign in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo, which is one of the six provinces affected by Ebola in the east. As of Tuesday, the country had recorded 5,713 confirmed cases, including 2,744 deaths, according to government figures. The epidemic is concentrated in the Ituri province and is already known to be the deadliest of the country’s 17 previous Ebola outbreaks. The crisis is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fuelled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 70,000 doses approved for Congo The WHO said last week that 70,000 doses of Ervebo had been approved for use in Congo. More than 50,000 doses have been received, and a further 20,000 will be used in a clinical trial to study whether the vaccine protects against the Bundibugyo virus, which is causing the current outbreak and has no licensed vaccine or treatment. The vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use program, which allows a medical product to be used in a serious disease situation even though it has not been specifically approved for that particular purpose. Health authorities said Ervebo could offer some protection against the Bundibugyo virus because the two strains are related. But whether the vaccine can actually prevent illness in people infected with this variant of Ebola is still being studied. Placide Mbala Kingebeni, Africa CDC’s director for research, clinical trials and innovation, said data will be collected during the vaccination campaign to measure the vaccine’s performance. The rollout is expected to cover 14 health zones across Tshopo, Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele provinces. Kamba strongly encouraged health workers to get vaccinated, saying the jab could protect them from the disease and help prevent them from carrying the virus into their communities. The rollout is expected to cover 14 health zones across Tshopo, Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele provinces. Kamba strongly encouraged health workers to get vaccinated, saying the jab could protect them from the disease and help prevent them from carrying the virus into their communities. Trials for a new vaccine Alongside the Ervebo campaign, efforts are also under way to develop a jab specifically targeted at the current strain. The University of Oxford's Vaccine Group and Moderna have started human trials for a new vaccine against Bundibugyo. Both trials are currently in Phase I, which will evaluate the vaccine's safety, tolerability, and immune response.