Frontline workers in DRC receive Ervebo vaccine amid growing Ebola outbreak

Health care and other front-line workers received the Ervebo vaccine on Friday in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, which has proved effective in previous outbreaks caused by the more common Zaire strain of Ebola.

Stella Nyota, nurse said that she feels a little safer after receiving the vaccine.

"I’m happy to have received it because I know it gives me some reassures since I’m always around patients", she added.

Health authorities said Ervebo could offer some protection against the Bundibugyo virus because the two viruses are related. But whether the vaccine can actually prevent illness in people infected with Bundibugyo Ebola is still being studied.

The vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use programme, which allows a medical product to be used in a serious disease situation even though it has not been specifically approved for that particular use.

"Yes, we don’t have vaccines, we don’t have licenses therapeutic, but we have life supporting services. Like if your blood (level) has gone down, we can give you blood to you. If your oxygen is not very good, we can give you oxygen. If you have an infection, we will give you antibiotics. So the chances of survival are not theories", said Dr Mohamed Janabi, regional director for Africa of the World Health Organization. Dr Janabi announced that 2,400 people have already survived Ebola during this 17th outbreak.

As of Wednesday, the country had recorded The Health Ministry reported 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths, according to government figures.

The outbreak is concentrated in Ituri province and is known to be the deadliest of all past 17 Ebola outbreaks in the country.

The outbreak is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements.

The World Health Organization has said it remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The WHO said in August that 70,000 doses of Ervebo had been approved for use in Congo.

About 50,000 doses are intended for frontline and health workers, while 20,000 doses will be used in a clinical trial to study whether the vaccine protects against Bundibugyo virus, which is causing the current outbreak and has no licensed vaccine nor treatment.