Ebola Outbreak in DRC: Vaccination Efforts Underway Amid Rising Cases

The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a new Ebola outbreak with 48 confirmed cases and 31 deaths. Efforts to curb the virus include vaccinating frontline health workers. WHO has deployed resources and opened treatment centers. The risk of the virus spreading internationally remains low.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is grappling with a fresh Ebola outbreak, with 48 cases confirmed and 31 fatalities reported. The outbreak, the first in three years, was declared in early September, prompting a rapid response from health authorities.

WHO has begun vaccinating frontline health workers and contacts of infected individuals in Congo's Kasai Province, delivering an initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine. This action aims to contain the outbreak at its epicenter in Bulape.

More than 14 tonnes of essential medical supplies have been dispatched, and an Ebola treatment center is operational. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued advisories, though the risk of an outbreak spreading to other nations, including the U.S., remains low.

(With inputs from agencies.)