News: WHO and partners announced 70,000 doses of Ervebo for Congo to prevent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

About Ervebo:

• Licensed vaccine against Ebola Virus Disease.
• Live, attenuated recombinant VSV vaccine.
• Uses modified Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) containing a protein from Zaire Ebola virus.
• Manufacturer: Merck.
• Approved for individuals 1 year and older.

How it Works:

• Contains an Ebola viral protein, not the complete Ebola virus.
• Triggers an immune response without causing Ebola disease.
• Protection is species-specific.

Limitation:

• Does not protect against other orthoebolaviruses or orthomarburgviruses.

Ebola Virus Disease:

• Severe and potentially fatal viral disease.
• First identified in 1976 in Sudan and DRC.
• Transmission → infected animals → humans and human-to-human through bodily fluids/contaminated materials.
• Not transmitted through air.
• Severe infection can cause haemorrhagic fever and bleeding.