The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently grappling with its first Ebola outbreak in three years, declared in early September in the Kasai Province. This marks the country's 16th overall outbreak and the first in Kasai since 2008, underscoring the persistent threat of the virus in a region where dense tropical forests serve as a natural reservoir for Ebola.

As of the latest data from the health ministry in Kinshasa, the outbreak has led to 32 suspected cases, 20 confirmed cases, and 16 deaths. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has initiated a vaccination campaign targeting frontline health workers and individuals who have come into contact with confirmed Ebola patients. An initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, drawn from the DRC's national stockpile of 2,000 doses, have been delivered to Bulape, identified as the outbreak's epicentre, with vaccinations commencing promptly.

To bolster the response, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved the dispatch of approximately 45,000 additional Ebola vaccine doses to Congo. Furthermore, the WHO plans to request between 40,000 and 50,000 more doses, signaling a significant scale-up in efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Despite these measures, WHO Programme Area Manager Patrick Otim has cautioned that while containing the outbreak is possible, it will be