Vaccine programme starts amid fresh Ebola outbreak in DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun vaccinating against a new Ebola outbreak in Kasai province, aiming to contain the virus after 28 deaths since August
The Democratic Republic of Congo began on Sunday a vaccine programme against a fresh Ebola epidemic, which has killed 28 people in the country since late August.
A first load of 400 doses against the often-fatal viral disease was handed out in the hotspot town of Bulape in the central Kasai province, the World Health Organization said.
The last outbreak of Ebola in the vast central African nation was three years ago and killed six people. Its deadliest, lasting from 2018 to 2020, left 2,300 dead out of 3,500 people known to have been infected.
According to the latest toll from the Congolese health authorities on Sunday, 28 deaths and 81 confirmed cases have been registered since the first confirmed infection of a pregnant 34-year-old woman on August 20.
Doctors Without Borders’ Head of Mission in the DRC, Kenny Gluck, said he logistics of responding to the outbreak in Bulape have been complex.
"The first truck convoy carrying supplies took six days to arrive due to poor infrastructure, though emergency response teams were on the ground within three days.
"Newer Ebola treatments are already being administered, and vaccinations began shortly after September 12, prioritising health workers and those in close contact with confirmed patients," added Gluck.
He said the United Nations’ Humanitarian Air Services are assisting with daily helicopter flights to transport supplies and vaccines into the region.
*Additional reporting by AFP
