The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported Ebola cases in five provinces, with the nationwide tally rising to 1,873 confirmed cases, including 672 deaths, according to a report released Sunday by the country’s health authorities.
The report, covering data through Friday, listed Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo as affected provinces, with the latter two being included in the national situation report for the first time. Investigations indicate that the cases detected in the two provinces were epidemiologically linked to the outbreak epicenter in Ituri province through contacts and population movements.
The report said 763 patients were in isolation or receiving hospital treatment, while the overall bed occupancy rate at treatment facilities stood at 95.1 percent. A total of 306 people have recovered, while 299 suspected cases, including 91 deaths, have been recorded.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared on May 15.
Meanwhile, the University of Oxford has launched the first human trial of a vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, seeking to accelerate efforts to combat an outbreak spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The early-stage trial, known as BD-Ebov, will evaluate the safety and immune response of the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 in Oxford, the university said on Monday.
Here are the details:
• Recruitment has begun, with vaccinations expected to start in the coming weeks pending regulatory approval.
• The vaccine was developed by scientists at Oxford’s Vaccine Group and Pandemic Sciences Institute using the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot.
• Serum Institute of India, which is partnering on the programme, said it manufactured and stockpiled about 620,000 doses of the vaccine candidate within two weeks and supplied 4,000 investigational doses for the early-stage study.
• In May, the World Health Organization recommended prioritising ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine, alongside a single-dose candidate known as rVSV Bundibugyo, being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, for clinical evaluation as part of the response to the ongoing outbreak.
• The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations said it would initially invest up to $8.6 million for the development of the shot.
• Preparations are also under way for additional clinical studies in Uganda, subject to regulatory approval, through partnerships including the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit.
• If the early-stage trial is successful, CEPI said it would work with Oxford and Serum Institute to support late-stage studies needed to seek emergency-use authorisation or full regulatory approval.
• The partners said they aim to ensure rapid and affordable vaccine supplies for affected countries.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reports 1,873 confirmed Ebola cases and 672 deaths across five provinces, with Ituri as the epicenter and new cases linked to Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces.
- Currently, 763 patients are hospitalized or isolated, with a 95.1% bed occupancy rate; 306 people have recovered, and 299 suspected cases including 91 deaths have been recorded.
- The Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus was declared on May 15.
- The University of Oxford has started early-stage human trials of the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine to test safety and immune response in 50 adults, with vaccine doses produced rapidly by the Serum Institute of India.
- Global health organizations including WHO, CEPI, and partners aim to prioritize, fund, and support further trials and ensure rapid, affordable vaccine supply for affected regions, with plans for additional studies in Uganda underway.
