Saturday, 8 August 2026, 8:59
Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, and health officials are expanding access to two existing medical tools to slow it. Africa CDC and Congolese authorities plan to broaden use of Merck's Ervebo vaccine and Gilead's remdesivir across Ituri and North Kivu.
The outbreak has produced almost 4,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,800 deaths since it was declared 12 weeks ago, according to Africa CDC. The affected region includes Ituri and North Kivu, home to an estimated 12 million to 15 million people. Cases have also been reported in Kisangani, a central Congolese city.
Ervebo is Merck's licensed Ebola vaccine, and remdesivir is Gilead's antiviral drug. Neither has been proven effective against Bundibugyo, the rare strain driving this epidemic. But emerging data from Congo and Uganda's experience treating Ebola patients have led Africa CDC to authorize broader use while formal studies continue.
“We saw zero death among people who are vaccinated,” said Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC. “All deaths that we have with Bundibugyo today are those who are not vaccinated. It means there is a level of protection.”
Kaseya cited observational data showing no deaths among Bundibugyo patients who had previously received Ervebo. That does not yet prove the vaccine, which targets Zaire Ebola, protects against Bundibugyo. Africa CDC is fast-tracking studies to determine whether the vaccine's immune response offers protection against infection, severe disease, or death. A small cohort study could begin within about two weeks after ethical clearance.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has committed $40 million to make Ervebo available from a global stockpile of 500,000 doses if it is recommended for use against Bundibugyo. The vaccine costs about $98 per dose.
Africa CDC is also working with Merck, the Wellcome Trust, and Singapore-based Hilleman Laboratories to increase production. Options include manufacturing in Africa and improving the vaccine's heat stability.
Kaseya said Africa CDC is assessing a massive procurement of remdesivir to treat Ebola patients in Ituri, North Kivu, and Kisangani. The agency is discussing advance-purchase agreements with two Egyptian manufacturers. Those manufacturers first need to procure the drug's active ingredient and could produce finished doses within about three weeks after receiving it.
The outbreak is centered in Central Africa, but California's public health network keeps a close watch on global infectious disease threats. International travel can move viruses quickly, and state and county health departments routinely coordinate with federal agencies to screen travelers and prepare for possible imported cases. No California cases have been reported in connection with this outbreak.
Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate. The current outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo, one of the rarer Ebola strains, and is the fastest-growing outbreak on record. The response depends on tools developed for other strains, which makes data collection and urgent studies essential.
The next few weeks will be critical. If clinical studies confirm that Ervebo and remdesivir offer protection or improve outcomes, global stockpiles and manufacturing partnerships could scale up rapidly. Expanding access now is the most concrete step Congo and Africa CDC can take to contain the outbreak.
