DR Congo starts Ebola vaccinations after new outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun administering Ebola vaccinations in an effort to curb the spread of the virus which resurfaced in the country recently.

With the help of various partners, vaccination begun over the weekend in the north-east of the country, a region considered the epicentre of the epidemic.

According to the Congolese Minister of Health, this successful vaccination campaign has targeted medical staff, direct contacts of confirmed cases and second-degree contacts as a priority.

A new outbreak in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur province, announced on May 31, is Congo’s 11th outbreak. Six people have died of the much-feared haemorrhagic virus since June 1.

The outbreak coincides with a waning epidemic in the east of the country where 2,280 have died since August 1, 2018. More than 300,000 people have already been immunised in the eastern outbreak, using two novel vaccines.

The mineral rich nation is hoping to declare the end of this epidemic on 25 June, after a 42-day countdown with no new cases.