Kathmandu— The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to combat a major surge in Ebola infections, with the current outbreak having claimed nearly 2,500 lives out of over 5,208 confirmed cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) allocated the vaccines from global stockpiles on Thursday, including 20,000 doses for a late-stage trial focused on the Bundibugyo virus – the specific strain driving the current epidemic – and 50,000 for frontline workers. While Ervebo is licensed against one type of Ebola virus, its effectiveness against Bundibugyo remains unknown, necessitating further research.

Outbreak Severity and Vaccine Allocation

The ongoing outbreak in the DRC represents the largest Ebola epidemic experienced by the country to date. The WHO confirmed that the vaccine doses were allocated following a request from the Congolese government last week through the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision. Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, is contributing $7 million to fund shipment of the vaccines and an additional $6 million for vaccination efforts in high-risk areas.

Bundibugyo Virus and Trial Plans

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain against which Ervebo’s effectiveness hasn't been established. The WHO emphasized that clinical trials are crucial to determine if the vaccine offers protection against this specific virus, as no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist for it. Twenty thousand doses will be dedicated to these late-stage trials.

Response Intensification and UN Support

The Congolese government has launched the “Congo River Without Ebola” initiative in an effort to strengthen disease surveillance and preparedness. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations secretary-general, stated that humanitarian agencies are warning of continued spread despite ongoing efforts. Julian Harneis, the UN’s senior Ebola coordinator on the ground, noted that response teams are scaling up operations with five key priorities: expanding safe care capacity, strengthening community engagement, doubling safe burial teams, enhancing disease surveillance, and increasing support for vulnerable populations.

The outbreak was declared in mid-May, though experts suspect it may have begun as early as February. The WHO continues to classify the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC as a global emergency.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.