PRETORIA, august 28. /TASS/. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has pledged to vaccinate more vigorously against Ebola amid the latest outbreak, DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said.

"We have made a decision to launch a vaccination campaign first and foremost to protect those who are on the frontlines of the fight against Ebola. They include healthcare workers, as well as people who have been in contact with Ebola patients," the Congolese press agency quoted him as saying.

According to Kamba, the DRC has received 50,000 Ervebo vaccine doses from the World Health Organization (WHO) and is already using them. Some 20,000 Ervebo doses, also received from the WHO, will be used for clinical trials inside the country.

This vaccine, developed in Canada and manufactured by the Merck company, was used for the first time against Ebola in the DRC in 2018. Since then, it has proved its efficacy against the Zaire virus which causes Ebola fever. This outbreak, however, was caused by another virus, Bundibugyo, a vaccine against which is being still developed. Kamba expressed hope the Ervebo will help boost immunity in those vaccinated.

As of today, according to the Congolese health ministry, the Ebola case tally stands at 5,794, with the death toll being 2,786. The mortality rate is 48.1%. As many as 843 patients with suspected Ebola are undergoing treatment at hospitals.

The current Ebola outbreak began in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15. Ebola cases and deaths have also been reported in neighboring Uganda. This is the second-deadliest ever outbreak in the DRC, with Ebola cases being registered in six Congolese provinces. The World Health Organization has classified the Ebola outbreak in the DRC as a public health emergency of international concern. Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities announced on July 28 that the Ebola outbreak in the country had ended. The WHO confirmed this on August 25.

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes Ebola virus disease (formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever) as "a severe, often fatal illness in humans," with the average case fatality rate of around 50%. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected animals or people. People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. The incubation period is 2 to 21 days. During an outbreak, those at higher risk of infection are health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick people and deceased patients.