Tumaini Trial Launch: WHO begins Ebola vaccine study in DRC; aims to protect against Bundibugyo strain

In a historic move, the World Health Organization has launched its inaugural clinical trial for an Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the launch of the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that the first participants had received the Ervebo vaccine in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in northeastern DRC, which is at the centre of the outbreak.The trial will assess whether Ervebo, which is approved for protection against the Zaire strain of Ebola, can provide any cross-protection against the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the current epidemic, according to news agency AP.“This trial will help us understand whether any of the vaccine candidates designed for Bundibugyo virus work,” Tedros said in a post on X.DR Congo reports thousands of Ebola casesThe DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May, which has become the country's worst on record. Since then, the outbreak has resulted in more than 9,700 reported cases and over 4,600 deaths.In response to the crisis, the WHO declared ...