Congo
will
receive
70,000
doses
of
the
rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP
(Ervebo)
vaccine,
which
has
been
effective
in
past
Ebola
outbreaks,
the
World
Health
Organization
(WHO)
and
partners
said
Thursday,
announcing
a
step
seen
as
a
major
boost
to
efforts
to
contain
what
officials
have
described
as
the
fastest
Ebola
outbreak
in
history.
The
single-dose
live-attenuated
vaccine
is
licensed
for
use
against
Zaire
virus,
but
not
for
Bundibugyo
virus,
which
is
responsible
for
the
current
outbreak
that
has
so
far
killed
2,476
people
out
of
the
5,208
confirmed
cases.
WHO
said
in
a
statement
that
while
it’s
not
known
whether
the
vaccine
may
protect
against
the
Bundibugyo
virus,
“early
laboratory
and
animal
data
suggest
it
may
provide
some
protection.”
The
allocation
includes
20,000
doses
for
a
phase
III
trial
to
understand
the
impact
of
the
vaccine
on
the
Bundibugyo
virus,
the
agency
said.
The
remaining
50,000
doses
will
be
used
for
front-line
and
health
workers
as
recommended
by
WHO
experts.
The
outbreak
raging
in
six
provinces
in
eastern
Congo
has
infected
and
killed
more
people
at
a
greater
speed
than
any
other
Ebola
outbreak
in
history,
and
is
spreading
about
three
times
faster
compared
to
the
2014-2016
outbreak
across
West
Africa
—
the
deadliest
Ebola
outbreak
on
record
with
more
than
11,000
deaths.
The
International
Coordinating
Group
on
Vaccine
Provision,
which
includes
WHO
and
other
partners,
said
the
doses
will
be
released
immediately
following
a
request
from
Congo’s
government.
WHO
Director-General
Tedros
Adhanom
Ghebreyesus,
PhD,
called
the
approval
“an
important
example
of
global
solidarity
in
action.”
He
said
the
agency
and
its
partners
remain
committed
to
supporting
strengthened
surveillance,
rapid
detection,
quality
care,
community
engagement,
and
vaccination
efforts
to
bring
the
outbreak
under
control.
The
lack
of
approved
vaccines
or
treatments
for
the
rare
Bundibugyo
virus
has
been
a
major
issue
for
responders.
Most
new
cases
have
been
reported
outside
of
the
people
being
monitored,
showing
the
virus
continues
to
spread
faster
than
efforts
to
track
it.
That
has
been
a
key
contributor
to
the
recorded
deaths.
The
case
fatality
rate
so
far
is
47.5%
although
it
is
far
worse
in
some
places
where
response
efforts
are
more
challenging,
such
as
in
North
Kivu
province
where
the
fatality
rate
is
up
to
70%.
Experts
believe
the
virus
began
spreading
from
the
mining
town
of
Mongbwalu
as
early
as
February,
months
before
authorities
declared
the
outbreak
on
May
15.
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