DR Congo: Health workers first to get Ebola vaccine

An emergency stockpile of 8,000 Ebola vaccines kept in reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being used to fight a resurgence of the disease that began earlier this month.

The first people to be vaccinated were health workers at Matanda health centre, where the first Ebola patient was treated.

They were given the single-dose vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV better known as Ervebo.

After the death of the first patient on February 3, three other contact cases tested positive, including a health care worker.

🇨🇩:#Ebola vaccination campaign officially launched in #Butembo #DRC — just one week after the resurgence of the virus. Health workers at Matanda health centre, where the first Ebola patient was treated, were the first to be vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/tNucuLpkrC

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) February 15, 2021

Thousands of miles away in Guinea, a separate resurgence of Ebola has been recorded in recent days by the country’s health ministry.

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Three people have died in Guinea and four others reportedly have symptoms.