Bulape: Vaccination of frontline health workers and contacts of people infected with Ebola virus disease has begun in Bulape health zone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kasai Province where an outbreak of the disease has been declared. An initial batch of 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, sourced from the country’s stockpile of 2,000 doses prepositioned in the capital Kinshasa, has been delivered to Bulape, a current hotspot of the outbreak. Additional doses are scheduled for delivery to the affected localities in the coming days.
According to African Press Organization, the vaccine is being administered through a ring vaccination strategy. This approach involves vaccinating individuals at the highest risk of infection after contact with a patient confirmed with the virus. It is also recommended for healthcare and frontline workers responding to the outbreak who may encounter Ebola patients. The Ervebo vaccine is safe and protects against the Zaire ebolavirus species, which has been confirmed as the cause of the ongoing outbreak.
In neighboring countries, WHO is collaborating with national authorities to enhance operational readiness to facilitate rapid detection of cases and prompt initiation of measures to curb further spread. WHO assesses the overall public health risk posed by the ongoing outbreak as high at the national level, moderate at the regional level, and low at the global level.