Congo launches emergency Ebola vaccination campaign amid record outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo launched an emergency vaccination campaign on Thursday, deploying a vaccine approved for a different Ebola strain to protect frontline workers as the country battles its largest and deadliest outbreak on record. The campaign, which began in the eastern city of Kisangani, prioritizes health care providers and direct contacts of confirmed patients with the Ervebo vaccine, even though the current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which no licensed vaccine exists. Health Minister Roger Kamba announced the rollout, stating the vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use program.