International Groups Sending 70,000 Doses of Ebola Vaccine to Congo
It's not clear whether the vaccine is effective against the ebolavirus strain behind the Congo outbreak.
TL;DR
- 70,000 doses of an Ebola vaccine are being sent to Congo by the WHO and partners.
- The vaccine, Merck's Ervebo, is approved for the Zaire ebolavirus.
- Congo's current Ebola outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, for which no vaccines are approved.
- The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved the initial release of doses.
- Congo's current outbreak is the second-deadliest in history.