DR Congo receives 1st batch of vaccines to contain Ebola outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo has received the first batch of 16,520 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine to contain the Ebola virus, health authorities said late Friday.

Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said more than 50,000 doses are expected by Monday.

"These doses would strengthen the government's response to Ebola and contribute to the protection of populations, with the support of our partners," Kamba told reporters in Kinshasa.

The World Health Organization announced on Thursday that 70,000 vaccines would be supplied to Congo from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile for a Phase 3 clinical trial to better understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus and to be used for frontline and health workers.

To date, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved against the Bundibugyo virus.

The Ervebo vaccine is licensed and recommended for use in outbreaks of Ebola virus disease, previously called Zaire ebolavirus.

Confirmed infections in the current Ebola outbreak have reached 5,290 cases, including more than 2,500 deaths, according to the latest Health Ministry situation update.

On Friday, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that communities in Congo are not receiving adequate support to contain the Ebola virus.

MSF said in a statement that training for health workers and community leaders on case detection, referrals and infection prevention and control measures must be urgently bolstered within communities affected by the outbreak.

The latest epidemic has affected 56 health zones across six provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele and Tshopo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.