DR Congo receives 70,000 Ebola vaccine doses for expanded trials

The Democratic Republic of Congo has received 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine as part of expanded efforts to contain Ebola transmission across the country. The World Health Organization coordinated the vaccine distribution to support outbreak response operations in affected regions.

Ervebo has demonstrated safety and effectiveness against the Zaire strain of Ebola virus in previous campaigns. The current deployment represents a broader strategy to evaluate the vaccine's performance against the Bundibugyo strain, which has emerged as a concern in recent outbreaks.

The vaccine doses will be deployed through controlled trials and targeted immunization programmes rather than mass vaccination campaigns. Health authorities aim to gather real-world data on vaccine effectiveness while protecting high-risk populations and frontline workers in affected communities.

The delivery underscores international commitment to strengthening DR Congo's capacity to respond to Ebola outbreaks. The WHO and its partners continue supporting the country's health systems as they work to interrupt transmission chains and prevent further spread of the virus.