Ebola in DRC: Vaccine reaches epicenter of outbreak in race to contain virus

A United Nations peacekeeping helicopter was used to help deliver 400 vaccine doses to the epicenter of the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

It is the first Ebola outbreak in 18 years in the southern Kasai province, which is more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the nation’s capital of Kinshasa.

The vaccines were delivered in the locality of Bulape, Patrick Otim, WHO's programme area manager, told a briefing in Geneva.

An additional 1,500 doses will be sent from the capital of Kinshasa, he said.

“We have struggled in the last seven days with access but are collaborating with MONUSCO (UN peacekeeping mission in Congo) now,” Otim said.

‘Full scale response’

While the WHO and Congolese authorities have “ramped up efforts to have a full scale response” on ground, “we need to be able to pay for the operations,” he added.