DR Congo receives Ebola vaccines as outbreak spreads in the east

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has begun receiving Ebola vaccine doses as authorities respond to an outbreak that is spreading in the country’s east, according to UN and media reports on Friday. The shipments are intended to help protect frontline communities and health workers.

The UN’s vaccine coordination group has allocated 70,000 doses of Ervebo for the country, while more than 16,000 doses have already arrived, according to the reports. Health officials have warned that the virus is continuing to claim lives quickly in affected areas.

The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has prompted efforts to expand vaccination around transmission zones. The vaccine deliveries are part of a wider response aimed at limiting further spread.

Ebola outbreaks have recurred in the DRC for years, with response teams typically relying on rapid vaccination, contact tracing and isolation to contain infections.