The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing to launch a trial for an Ebola vaccine, using some doses to assess its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo species of the virus. While the Ervebo vaccine protects against the Zaïre species of Ebola, there are currently no proven vaccines or treatments for Bundibugyo.
This rollout comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that Ebola is "growing exponentially" in the north and east of DR Congo. The WHO's Ebola co-ordinator, Julien Harneis, stated that the spread of infections now covers an area larger than France. Close to 2,500 people have died in this outbreak, which began three months ago, with half of these deaths occurring in the last 20 days.
The WHO confirmed that 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine will be used in a clinical trial to evaluate its effectiveness against Bundibugyo. Additionally, 50,000 doses will be given to front-line health workers. Experts suggest the Bundibugyo species may have been circulating since February, initially misdiagnosed as typhoid and malaria.
Meanwhile, the M23 rebel group, which controls parts of eastern DR Congo, has announced new restrictions on movement between government and rebel-held areas of North Kivu province. Shared taxis and passenger boats will be suspended for one month starting on Saturday. These measures follow reports of two travellers testing positive for Ebola in an M23-controlled village.