Just 10 days after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared an Ebola virus outbreak in Kasai province, vaccination in the affected health zone began, targeting frontline health workers and contacts sick patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in an update.
The initial shipment to Bulape health zone included 400 doses of Ervebo (VSV-EBOV) drawn from the DRC’s stockpile of 2,000 doses stored in Kinshasa, where some frontline workers were recently immunized. The WHO said more doses will be delivered in the coming days.
Outbreak responders are using ring vaccination strategy focusing on those at highest risk among patient contacts.
The international Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved an additional 45,000 Ebola vaccine doses to be shipped to the DRC. The WHO said it is supporting the health ministry in formatting a request for more doses, and with other partners has helped officials develop an immunization plan and train vaccination teams.
Treatment courses of the monoclonal antibody treatment MAb114 (ansuvimab-zykl, also known as Ebanga) have been sent to treatment centers in Bulape.
Cases rise to 81, deaths reach 28
In related developments, the provincial Ebola emergency committee met on September 13, which included updates on the latest epidemiological situation, according to a report from the DRC’s National Public Health Laboratory (INRB).
More suspected and confirmed cases have been reported, along with two more deaths, lifting the outbreak total to 81 cases and 28 deaths, for a case-fatality rate of 34.6%. The numbers are up from 68 suspected cases (20 confirmed) and 16 deaths reported a few days ago.
Of seven new suspected cases from Bulape health zone, five were confirmed by lab testing.
Health officials have identified 58 more contacts, raising the total to 716.
In another vaccine development, health officials said another 360 doses arrived in the provincial capital Tshikapa.