KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of the Congo received its first shipment of Ebola vaccine on Aug. 21, a step toward controlling the country's largest and deadliest outbreak on record. A total of 16,520 doses of Ervebo arrived at N'djili International Airport in Kinshasa.
The epidemic, declared on May 15, has infected 5,290 people and killed 2,516 as of Aug. 19, according to the DRC government. The case fatality rate stands at 47.6 percent.
This is the most extensive and lethal Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the second-largest globally. The virus continues to spread across the country.
Health Minister Roger Kamba officially received the first batch in Kinshasa on Aug. 21. The 16,520 doses represent the opening shipment of a larger delivery. The DRC health ministry expects a total of 50,120 doses to arrive between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24.
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved an immediate release of 70,000 Ervebo doses following a DRC government request, the World Health Organization and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.
Ervebo is a licensed vaccine for outbreaks caused by the Zaire ebolavirus. Its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak in the DRC, remains unconfirmed.
To address this gap, 20,000 of the approved doses will be used in a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess Ervebo's effectiveness against Bundibugyo. The remaining 50,000 doses are designated for frontline medical personnel and health workers in affected regions.
