GENEVA (Agencies) – The World Health Organization is set to convene an emergency committee meeting to discuss possible vaccine strategies as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo intensifies, with the reported death toll climbing to 131.
According to Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba, authorities have recorded 513 suspected Ebola cases during the latest outbreak, marking a sharp increase from the previously announced figures of 350 suspected cases and 91 deaths. Officials warned that investigations are still ongoing to confirm whether all reported fatalities were directly linked to the virus.
The outbreak has already spread beyond Congo’s northeastern Ituri province into neighbouring Uganda, increasing concerns among global health officials about wider regional transmission. Ituri, which borders both Uganda and South Sudan, is a major gold-mining region where cross-border movement remains frequent, making containment efforts more difficult.
Addressing the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed alarm over the rapidly deteriorating situation.
“I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” Tedros said, adding that the WHO had already declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern earlier this week.
The WHO’s Emergency Committee, composed of international disease and vaccine experts, is expected to evaluate possible response measures and discuss vaccine options for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is responsible for the current outbreak.
Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, the Bundibugyo variant currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. However, experts say the Ervebo vaccine, manufactured by Merck for the Zaire strain, has shown limited protective potential against Bundibugyo in animal studies.
Dr Mosoka Fallah, acting director of science at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said health experts would assess available scientific evidence before deciding on the most effective response strategy.
“When you have an outbreak with a strain that does not have countermeasures, we are going to advise on the best approach to take,” he said.
The WHO also announced that additional emergency medical supplies were being delivered to affected areas in Congo. WHO representative Anne Ancia confirmed that six more tons of protective equipment and laboratory materials were arriving in Ituri province on Tuesday, adding to 12 tons already dispatched earlier.
Meanwhile, several countries have begun taking precautionary measures. Bahrain announced a temporary 30-day suspension on the entry of foreign travellers arriving from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan due to the outbreak.
In Europe, Germany confirmed preparations to receive and treat a United States citizen infected with Ebola while working in Congo. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the individual tested positive after exposure linked to professional duties in the DRC.
