WHO announces start of Ebola vaccine clinical trial in DR Congo
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) has started a clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to test the effectiveness of Ebola vaccines against the current outbreak. The trial will use vaccines designed for different Ebola strains and involve people at high risk of infection, including pregnant women and children.Key Facts
- The trial began in Bunia, Ituri province, the center of the DRC Ebola outbreak.
- The vaccine Ervebo, approved for the Zaire strain of Ebola, is being tested for protection against the Bundibugyo strain causing the current epidemic.
- The DRC’s current Ebola outbreak started in May, with over 9,700 cases and more than 4,600 deaths reported.
- The outbreak has spread to four African countries, making it the most widespread Ebola outbreak on the continent.
- The trial uses a ring vaccination strategy, vaccinating people at high risk of infection around known cases.
- Two other vaccines specific to the Bundibugyo strain, one developed by Oxford University and another by Moderna, will soon join the trial.
- The trial will include pregnant women and children aged 12 and over, groups often left out of vaccine studies.
- WHO aims to gather strong evidence on how well these vaccines can protect people during the outbreak.
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