Ebola vaccine clinical trial to begin in DR Congo by end of October

The first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to begin by the end of October, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.

The country's worst-ever Ebola outbreak has surpassed 9,000 cases, with more than 4,000 deaths. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment is available.

The trial, known as Tumaini, will assess whether Ervebo, a vaccine approved for the more common Zaire strain, offers protection against Bundibugyo. It is also expected to include two candidate vaccines targeting the strain, developed by the University of Oxford and Moderna.

Anthony Scott, chair of the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, said the trial would provide urgently needed evidence to guide vaccine policy decisions.

However, insecurity and population displacement continue to hamper outbreak control by restricting access to healthcare, disrupting surveillance and delaying research, the WHO said.

Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders is conducting a separate study involving frontline health workers to gather data on Ervebo's effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain.