The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a vaccination campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Kasai Province following the country’s first Ebola outbreak in three years.
An initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine have been delivered to Bulape, the epicentre of the outbreak, from a national stockpile of 2,000 doses. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has also approved the release of 45,000 additional doses to support containment efforts.
According to the DRC Ministry of Health, there have been 32 suspected cases, including 20 confirmed and 16 deaths. One case has been confirmed 70 kilometres from Bulape, raising fears of wider spread and potential cross-border transmission to neighbouring Angola.
WHO Programme Area Manager Patrick Otim described the risk of cross-border transmission as “moderate” and emphasised the urgency of rapid intervention amid declining foreign assistance and weakened support structures.
The vaccination drive is part of a wider emergency response that includes surveillance, contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns. The DRC has recorded more Ebola outbreaks than any other country since the virus was first identified in 1976.