Clinical trial of Ebola vaccine starts in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The first clinical trial of a new Ebola vaccine has begun in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the virus has claimed over 4,600 lives. The DRC is currently facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, which has become the deadliest recorded in the country, with over 9,700 cases. The trial involves the Ervebo vaccine, previously approved for the Zaire strain, to assess its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain. The initiative, named Tumaini, aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various vaccines, including two candidates specifically targeting Bundibugyo. Meanwhile, Kenya has reported its second Ebola death amid nine confirmed cases, joining other countries affected by the outbreak.