First Ebola vaccine doses arrive in Congo amid deadliest outbreak

A new Ebola vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain could be ready by the end of 2026, the head of the world's leading authority on vaccines has said, as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history continues to devastate the Democratic Republic of Congo.thetimes

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has been fast-tracking three Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidates developed by the University of Oxford, Moderna ↘ 5.00%, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative since May. Oxford launched the world's first Phase 1 Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine trial on July 13, and Moderna dosed its first participant in early August. According to The BMJ, researchers expect to be "ready for first-in-human studies with clinical grade material by the end of 2026."cidrap.umn+3

Ervebo Doses Arrive as Deaths Surpass 2,500

The WHO and Africa CDC announced on August 20 the allocation of 70,000 doses of Merck's ↘ 0.10% Ervebo vaccine — licensed for the Zaire species of Ebola — to the DRC. Of these, 20,000 will be used in a Phase 3 clinical trial to determine the vaccine's effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain, while 50,000 are designated for frontline and health workers.news.un+2

The first shipment of 16,250 doses arrived in Kinshasa on Friday evening, Al Jazeera reported. Africa's top public health agency has reported more than 2,500 deaths out of more than 5,000 infections, making this the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.aljazeera+1

Canada's Quarantine Policy Draws Criticism

Meanwhile, Canadian humanitarian aid workers say a mandatory 21-day quarantine for travellers returning from the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan has hobbled their ability to respond. At least 11 Canadians have cancelled assignments with Doctors Without Borders because of the measures, the organization said.kitchener.citynews

The quarantine, introduced in May ahead of the FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico, is set to expire on August 29. Canada's government said it is reviewing the restrictions and will announce a decision before the expiration date.kitchener.citynews

Roojin Habibi, research director of global health law at the Global Strategy Lab, called the measures "quite egregious," noting they contradict WHO guidance against blanket travel restrictions. "To me, it's quite egregious," she said. Canada has committed $8 million to fight the outbreak — a fraction of the more than $110 million it contributed during the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic.kitchener.citynews