Ebola virus: first person vaccinated in UK trial of new jab

A volunteer in the UK received the first dose of a new Ebola vaccine on Friday. This vaccine targets the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is responsible for a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The World Health Organization reports that over 1,000 people have died from this outbreak since it began in May. Oxford University announced the vaccination as part of a clinical trial. Researchers and health organizations have been working rapidly to develop a vaccine or treatment for this specific, less common strain of Ebola and bring it to human testing.

Health workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing severe hardships while combating a dangerous Ebola outbreak, potentially one of the world's worst. This outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain with no approved treatments or vaccine, is spreading rapidly in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC, particularly in Ituri province. Health workers are not only at high risk of infection, with over 100 infected and 35 deaths reported, but also face distrustful communities, mob attacks, and a lack of personal protective equipment. Compounding these challenges, many health workers have not received salaries since the outbreak was declared in May, leading to strikes and further hindering response efforts. The outbreak has already resulted in over 2,500 cases and 1,000 deaths in the DRC, with a smaller number of cases reported in Uganda.