Ebola cases in DR Congo surpass 7,258

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 7,258, the DRC’s National Public Health Institute (INSP) said on Tuesday.

“To date, 7,258 confirmed cases have been recorded,” the INSP said in a statement.

So far, neither a vaccine nor a treatment for the new Bundibugyo Ebola strain has received official authorisation. However, laboratory data suggest that the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, which was delivered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to the Congo, may provide protection against the disease.

On 20 August, the WHO reported that it had sent 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to the Congo. The vaccine is intended to protect health workers and for use in clinical trials.