DR Congo Expands Ebola Vaccination to Ituri as More Than 3,700 Receive Ervebo
Kinshasa, September 20, 2026: The Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded its Ebola vaccination campaign to Ituri Province, the epicentre of the country’s ongoing outbreak, as health authorities and international partners intensify efforts to protect frontline workers.
More than 3,700 people across the country have received the Ervebo vaccine, with the latest phase beginning in Bunia, the capital of Ituri. The vaccination drive is being conducted alongside a research programme designed to assess whether the vaccine can provide protection against the virus responsible for the current outbreak.
Ituri at the Centre of the Outbreak
Ituri remains the most severely affected province in the current Ebola outbreak. WHO data has identified extensive transmission across the province, while health authorities continue to face difficulties caused by insecurity, population displacement and limited access to healthcare.
The expansion of vaccination into Ituri is therefore aimed particularly at people working directly on the response, including healthcare personnel and other frontline workers.
New Study to Examine Vaccine Protection
The latest vaccination effort coincides with the launch of the BRAVO study in Bunia.
The programme is being conducted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in cooperation with Congolese health authorities, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and other scientific partners.
The study plans to involve approximately 20,000 frontline workers in Ituri and North Kivu and follow participants over time to investigate the potential protective effect of Ervebo against the virus driving the current outbreak.
A Different Ebola Virus Is Driving the Outbreak
One of the major scientific challenges is that the current outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo virus, rather than the Zaire ebolavirus for which Ervebo is licensed.
Ervebo has previously demonstrated effectiveness against Ebola caused by the Zaire strain. However, WHO has said that evidence remains insufficient to establish its effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus and recommends that its use against the current disease occur within research protocols.
This makes the vaccination campaign particularly important from a research perspective, as scientists seek evidence about whether the vaccine can provide meaningful protection against the current strain.
Frontline Workers Face Elevated Exposure
Healthcare workers and other response personnel are among those most exposed to Ebola because of their direct contact with patients and affected communities.
The vaccination programme therefore prioritises people involved in diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, contact tracing and other outbreak-response activities.
The campaign is expected to cover frontline workers in both Ituri and North Kivu over an extended period, while researchers monitor participants and gather information about vaccine performance.
Outbreak Continues to Put Pressure on Health Services
The Ebola outbreak has expanded across multiple provinces, creating substantial demands on Congo’s health system.
WHO reported that by September 7, more than 6,700 confirmed cases had been recorded in the DRC, with more than 3,200 deaths. Ituri accounted for the largest share of confirmed infections.
European disease surveillance data later reported further increases, with the number of confirmed cases reaching 7,475 by September 17, including 3,605 deaths.
The differing figures reflect continuing updates to surveillance, laboratory testing and case reporting as the outbreak develops.
Security and Displacement Complicate the Response
Health teams are operating in difficult conditions in parts of eastern Congo.
Armed insecurity and large-scale population movement can make it harder to reach communities, trace contacts and maintain continuous disease surveillance. WHO has also highlighted challenges involving healthcare access, overcrowding and limited water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
These factors can complicate efforts to identify infections quickly and prevent transmission.
Research Could Shape Future Response
The BRAVO study could provide valuable evidence about the potential role of Ervebo against Bundibugyo virus.
At present, there is no licensed vaccine specifically approved for prevention of Bundibugyo virus disease. Researchers are therefore also studying other vaccine candidates while clinical research continues.
The vaccination programme in Ituri is consequently serving two purposes: protecting people who are heavily involved in the outbreak response and generating evidence that could help guide future Ebola-control strategies.
A Critical Phase in Congo’s Ebola Response
The expansion of vaccination to Ituri comes as authorities continue to strengthen surveillance, treatment, contact tracing and other outbreak-control measures.
More than 3,700 people have already received Ervebo nationally, while the new research programme is expected to expand vaccination among frontline workers in the two most affected provinces.
Whether Ervebo can provide meaningful protection against Bundibugyo virus remains an important scientific question. The evidence generated during the ongoing study could help determine how vaccination should be incorporated into the response to this outbreak and future outbreaks caused by the same virus.
