Ebola vaccine trial at UK university is world first in fight against virus that has killed over 3,000

Ebola vaccine trial at UK university is world first in fight against virus that has killed over 3,000 Conflict and attacks on health workers are hampering efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak which is spreading at an unprecedented pace across the Democratic Republic of Congo More than 3,000 people have now died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the country battles its deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. According to Congo’s Ministry of Health 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak was declared a global health emergency in May, making it the fastest-growing outbreak. The outbreak, which is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has spread across six provinces in DRC.L New cases have continued to emerge in recent weeks, including in two new health zones in North Kivu last week. where the fatality rate is much higher than in the rest of the affected provinces. It comes as Southampton University launches a world first trial of a vaccine for the Bondibugyo strain as it bids to recruit 50 volunteers to take part in a potential breakthrough against the virus The rapid spread has been made harder to contain by conflict and insecurity in eastern DRC, where the outbreak is concentrated, as well as attacks on health workers and the movement of miners and other populations. Alongside the conflict the country's weak health infrastructure and gaps in contact tracing has further complicated the efforts to track infections and slow transmission rates. Health workers have also gone on strike multiple times over unpaid wages. The scale of the outbreak has prompted warnings from the World Health Organisation that it could soon surpass the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record – the 2014-16 outbreak in West Africa, which killed around 11,000 people. The current crisis passed 2,000 fatalities in around three months, though researchers believed the virus may have been circulating undetected since February. The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of cases could be significantly higher than official figures suggest and could be possibly three times larger, as weak surveillance and contact tracing mean some infections may be going undetected. The latest figures already make this the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC but efforts to contain the virus are being complicated by the lack of an approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. Today the University Hospital Southampton (UHS) launched the world’s first clinical trial for a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine. The trial will be delivered by the hospital through its NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. The trial is set to recruit 50 healthy volunteers, where participants will receive either one or two doses of the vaccine or a placebo, and will attend regular appointments over a year. Professor Chrissie Jones, Principal Investigator for the study at University Hospital Southampton and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Southampton, said: “The current Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak is a reminder that emerging infectious diseases remain a serious global threat. "We're proud that Southampton will play a key role in this important international effort. By taking part, volunteers can make a real contribution to research that could help save lives around the world." Authorities have meanwhile begun offering Ervebo vaccine to frontline health workers, with the first doses administered in Kisangani, in Tshopo province. While Ervebo is licensed for protection against the Zaire strain of Ebola, rather than Bundibugyo virus. WHO said it may be able to offer some protection. The escalating outbreak is putting further pressure on an already fragile health system as authorities and international agencies race to slow transmission and reach communities at risk. Ebola is a rare but deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, including blood and vomit. Early symptoms can include fever, headaches and tiredness before the illness can progress to vomiting and diarrhoea and, in severe cases, organ failure. The latest crisis marked the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in DR Congo since the virus was discovered 50 years ago. [Image text:] 015313383-0332996280