Vaccine trial to start as WHO warns about speed of infections
Health authorities in the DR Congo are launching a clinical trial for the Ervebo vaccine to combat the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. This comes as the WHO warns that the current outbreak is the deadliest in the country's history.
Why it matters
Testing new vaccines in active outbreak zones is critical for preventing further loss of life, though it faces logistical and social hurdles.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Emery Makumeno BBC Africa, Kinshasa AFP via Getty Images The Ervebo vaccine, known to protect against the Zaïre species of Ebola, will now be tested for the one causing the current outbreak The Democratic Republic of the Congo is gearing up to roll out an Ebola vaccine with some doses being used as part of a trial to see if it is effective against the Bundibugyo species of the virus that is currently circulating in the country.
The Ervebo vaccine does help protect against the Zaïre species of Ebola but currently there are no proven vaccines or treatments for Bundibugyo.
The rollout comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a new warning that Ebola was "growing exponentially" in the north and east of DR Congo and the spread of infections now covered an area bigger than France.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in