DR Congo receives Ebola vaccines as outbreak grows 'exponentially'

The Democratic Republic of Congo has received fresh supplies of Ebola vaccines as the country confronts an outbreak described as growing exponentially. The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, one of several known variants of the disease.

In response, the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been training health workers who are preparing to reinforce the region's capacity to respond to the outbreak. Some of this training has taken place outside Congo itself, at an Ebola simulation treatment centre set up by MSF in Kajiado County, near the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Training in full protective gear

Participants in the training exercises wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), a standard requirement when handling a highly contagious and dangerous virus. Images from early August show that preparatory work has been under way for some time as the outbreak has intensified.

Ebola causes a severe, often fatal haemorrhagic fever, and outbreaks have historically been concentrated in Central African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo. The vaccine deliveries form part of wider international efforts to contain the virus, while the fact that training is also being conducted in neighbouring Kenya suggests concern about the potential for the outbreak to spread across Congo's borders.

Detailed figures on the number of cases or deaths have not been made public. However, the description of the outbreak's growth as "exponential" points to significant concern among health and humanitarian organisations.