KINSHASA, 24th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the start of the first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine to combat the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, "Science gives us hope. Today, in Bunia DRC, the first participants were vaccinated in a new Ebola vaccine trial called Tumaini, which means 'hope' in Swahili."
The outbreak is the worst in DR Congo's history, with more than 9,700 cases and over 4,600 deaths.
The trial began with the administration of the first dose of the Ervebo vaccine in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province in northeastern DR Congo and the epicentre of the outbreak.
"This trial will help us understand whether any of the vaccine candidates designed for Bundibugyo virus work," Tedros said, adding that the existing Ervebo vaccine would also be tested.
Ervebo, approved for use against the more prevalent Zaire strain of Ebola, will undergo a large-scale clinical trial in DR Congo to determine whether it provides cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain.
The trial will adopt a "ring vaccination" approach, targeting contacts at higher risk of infection, including pregnant women and children aged 12 and above.
Preparations are also under way to include two vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain, both currently undergoing smaller, early-stage clinical trials.
One is being developed at the University of Oxford, while the other is being developed by US biotechnology company Moderna using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.