Just 10 days after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an Ebola virus outbreak in Kasai province, health authorities have rolled out a vaccination drive targeting frontline workers and contacts of patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed in its latest update.First Vaccines Arrive in BulapeThe first consignment of 400 doses of Ervebo (VSV-EBOV) was dispatched to Bulape health zone from a national stockpile of 2,000 doses stored in Kinshasa. Some frontline health workers in the capital had already received the vaccine. The WHO said additional shipments are expected in the coming days to sustain the response effort.Health teams are deploying a “ring vaccination” strategy, which prioritizes those at the highest risk of infection, including patient contacts and health workers directly exposed to cases.Also Read: What Is Babesia That Could Block Your Lyme Disease Recovery?Global Support for Vaccine SupplyTo ensure adequate coverage, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved an additional 45,000 doses to be sent to the DRC. The WHO is assisting the Ministry of Health in formalizing a request for these doses and has also worked with partners to draw up a detailed immunization plan. Training sessions for vaccination teams are underway to streamline the rollout.Alongside vaccines, treatment options are being reinforced. Courses of the monoclonal antibody therapy MAb114 (ansuvimab-zykl, commercially known as Ebanga) have already been dispatched to treatment centers in Bulape to support patient care.Rising Case Numbers and Death TollDespite these interventions, the outbreak continues to grow. At a meeting of the provincial Ebola emergency committee on September 13, officials reported a sharp increase in infections and fatalities. According to the DRC’s National Public Health Laboratory (INRB), total cases have now risen to 81, with 28 deaths recorded, marking a case-fatality rate of 34.6%.The latest figures represent a significant jump from a few days earlier, when authorities reported 68 suspected cases (including 20 confirmed) and 16 deaths.Also Read: Congo Ebola Outbreak Caused By The Zaire Strain So Far Has 28 Deaths, Confirms WHOOf seven new suspected cases detected in the Bulape health zone, five have been confirmed through laboratory testing. This highlights both the rapid spread of the virus and the crucial role of diagnostic capacity in containing the outbreak.Expanding Contact TracingEfforts to trace and monitor contacts are also being scaled up. Health officials identified 58 new contacts in recent days, bringing the total to 716. Contact tracing is a cornerstone of the response, enabling teams to vaccinate and monitor individuals most likely to have been exposed.In a further boost to local capacity, another 360 vaccine doses have arrived in Tshikapa, the provincial capital of Kasai. This shipment is expected to support wider vaccination efforts in neighboring areas.With Ebola continuing to claim lives in Kasai, health authorities in the DRC and their global partners are racing to contain the outbreak. Vaccines, therapeutic drugs, and intensive contact tracing remain at the heart of the strategy. However, the rising case count underscores the urgent need to maintain momentum and secure sufficient supplies before the virus spreads further.
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