DR Congo begins vaccinating health workers against Ebola as deaths rise

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has begun rolling out an Ebola vaccine to protect frontline health workers, as the number of deaths linked to the country's ongoing outbreak continues to rise. The vaccine targets a different strain of the Ebola virus than the one most commonly addressed by earlier vaccination efforts.

Around 50,000 health workers and other frontline staff are set to receive the jab. These workers face heightened exposure risk because of their direct daily contact with patients suspected or confirmed to have the virus.

Of that group, roughly 20,000 people have been enrolled in a one-year clinical trial designed to assess how well the new vaccine performs against this particular strain, including its safety and effectiveness over an extended period.

Ebola causes a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever, and outbreaks have recurred periodically across Central Africa, including in the DRC, where weak health infrastructure can complicate containment efforts. Health workers are considered especially vulnerable, since they are typically the first to encounter infected patients, making their protection a priority in efforts to curb transmission.

The rollout comes as the outbreak's death toll keeps climbing, underscoring the urgency of a rapid, large-scale response. Findings from the year-long trial could provide crucial data on the vaccine's ability to contain this strain and help shape future vaccination strategy in the region.