Over 4,300 confirmed cases reported
The outbreak has now resulted in 2,011 deaths out of 4,381 confirmed cases, as reported in the latest health ministry update. The fatality rate stands at a concerning 45.9%. Originating in Ituri province in the northeast, the virus has since extended its grip to North Kivu and other conflict-affected regions, where healthcare infrastructure remains critically under-resourced. This outbreak is rapidly approaching the grim toll of the 2018-2020 epidemic—the deadliest in DRC history—which claimed nearly 2,300 lives.
Existing vaccine under review for current strain
The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo Ebola variant, for which no approved vaccine yet exists. World Health Organization experts have now recommended fast-tracking clinical trials of Ervebo—the only Ebola vaccine currently licensed—against this strain. Given the robust safety data already gathered on Ervebo, health authorities are considering a direct phase 3 trial, typically conducted on a large scale. The Gavi Vaccine Alliance has pledged to provide doses from the global Ervebo stockpile, which contains approximately 500,000 doses. The vaccine is manufactured by the American pharmaceutical company Merck.
Multiple vaccine candidates in development
Beyond Ervebo, several other experimental vaccines are in various stages of development to combat the Bundibugyo strain. Canadian health regulators have granted Moderna approval to initiate clinical trials for its candidate, while two additional vaccines are being developed by Hilleman Laboratories and the University of Oxford. In response to the escalating crisis, the United States has committed an additional $242 million in emergency funding to bolster Ebola containment efforts in the DRC.