Congo to receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine to combat fastest Ebola outbreak in history

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to combat its fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak in history, which has killed 2,476 people out of 5,208 cases. Although Ervebo is not licensed for the active Bundibugyo strain, 20,000 doses will fund a Phase 3 trial while 50,000 protect front-line workers. The virus is spreading three times faster than the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, outpacing tracking efforts.

Ervebo vaccine allocation to Congo

• ▪The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision will release 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses immediately following a request from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to help contain an ongoing Ebola outbreak, as announced by the World Health Organization and partners on August 20, 2026.
• ▪Out of the 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses allocated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 50,000 doses will be administered to front-line and health workers.
• ▪The World Health Organization allocated 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine for a Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the vaccine's impact and effectiveness against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.

Bundibugyo virus outbreak severity

• ▪The Ebola outbreak is raging across six provinces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a case fatality rate of 47.5% overall and up to 70% in North Kivu province.
• ▪Health experts believe the Bundibugyo Ebola virus began spreading from the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February 2026, before authorities officially declared the outbreak on May 15, 2026.
• ▪The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 2,476 people out of 5,208 confirmed cases as of August 20, 2026.

Vaccine efficacy uncertainty

• ▪The Ervebo vaccine is licensed for use against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus but is not approved for the Bundibugyo strain driving the 2026 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• ▪The World Health Organization stated that while it is unknown if Ervebo protects against the Bundibugyo virus, early laboratory and animal data suggest it may provide some protection.

Outbreak tracking challenges

• ▪The lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus has been a major challenge for responders and front-line medics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• ▪Most new Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are reported among individuals not currently being monitored, indicating the virus is spreading faster than tracking efforts.

Historical Ebola outbreak comparisons

• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading approximately three times faster than the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people.
• ▪The 2026 outbreak has infected and killed more people at a greater speed than any other Ebola outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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