Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has received 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine following a request from its government to the global Ebola vaccine stockpile. The shipment was approved by the International Coordinating Group (ICG), according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Ervebo vaccine was initially developed for the Zaire ebolavirus, responsible for the 2014-2016 West African epidemic. Its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain currently circulating in DR Congo is still unknown. Preliminary laboratory and animal studies suggest some protection. Of the shipment, 20,000 doses will be used in a clinical trial to gather policy-relevant evidence, and the remaining 50,000 doses are allocated for health workers in affected areas.
The outbreak declared on 15 May has become DR Congo's deadliest Ebola outbreak, with 5,021 cases and 2,325 deaths reported. The WHO stated that more than 160 health workers have contracted Ebola, resulting in 40 fatalities.
Efforts to control the outbreak are hampered by ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, among others. The conflict has restricted medical team access, forced health center closures, displaced thousands, and impeded contact tracing and safe burial practices.
The M23 group reportedly announced it will suspend shared taxi and boat travel to and from government-controlled Ebola zones to help reduce virus transmission in areas it controls. The group has also claimed it can independently lead an Ebola response, including managing labs and disease surveillance.