DR Congo begins Ebola vaccinations as outbreak spreads to new regions

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has launched an emergency Ebola vaccination campaign in Bunia, targeting 20,000 frontline health workers. The outbreak, which has killed 3,639 people out of 7,541 cases, is the deadliest in the nation's history. It is driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved treatment. Health workers are using Merck's Ervebo vaccine, designed for the Zaire strain, under a compassionate-use program to test for cross-protection. While the WHO sees signs of slowing in Ituri, MSF warns the outbreak is not shrinking but moving to new provinces.

Ebola vaccination campaign launch

• ▪The vaccination campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo targets 20,000 frontline workers in Ituri and North Kivu provinces over a period of six to nine months.
• ▪The World Health Organization approved 70,000 doses of Merck's Ervebo vaccine for use in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 50,000 doses allocated for frontline workers.
• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo launched an Ebola vaccination campaign for frontline healthcare workers on September 19, 2026, in Bunia, Ituri province.

Bundibugyo virus strain challenges

• ▪Health workers are administering the Ervebo vaccine, licensed for the Zaire Ebola strain, under a compassionate-use program to study its cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain.
• ▪A clinical trial involving 20,000 recipients will monitor the effectiveness of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for up to one year.
• ▪The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no licensed vaccine or proven treatment.

Geographic spread to new provinces

• ▪The Ebola outbreak has spread to South Ubangi, making it the seventh affected province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• ▪North Kivu province has experienced a sharp rise in Ebola cases, accounting for nearly half of all newly confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mortality statistics

• ▪The current Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 7,541 confirmed cases and 3,639 deaths as of September 19, 2026.
• ▪The World Health Organization stated that the Ebola outbreak remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed over 11,000 people.
• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak is the deadliest of all past 17 Ebola outbreaks in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Response capacity gaps

• ▪The Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is hindered by insecurity, population displacement, a health workers' strike, and traditional burial practices.
• ▪Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator Anthony Kergosien stated that local health systems are pushed beyond their limits by chronic funding gaps and staffing shortages.

Transmission trends in Ituri

• ▪World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cited encouraging signs of declining Ebola transmission in the most affected parts of Ituri province.
• ▪Doctors Without Borders warned on September 18, 2026, that there is no clear evidence the national epidemic is shrinking, as the virus is moving to new areas.