The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun vaccinating frontline health workers and contacts of infected individuals in response to a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Kasai Province.

An initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine have been deployed to Bulape, the epicentre of the outbreak, from a national reserve of 2,000 doses. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has also approved the shipment of an additional 45,000 doses to support containment efforts.

The outbreak, declared in early September, marks the DRC’s first in three years. According to the Health Ministry in Kinshasa, the country has recorded 32 suspected cases, 20 confirmed infections, and 16 deaths.

WHO Programme Area Manager, Patrick Otim, cautioned that the outbreak could widen, noting a confirmed case 70 kilometers from Bulape. He warned of a moderate risk of cross-border spread, particularly to neighboring Angola.

“The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated,” Otim said, stressing that delays in response could significantly complicate containment.

Ebola, a deadly virus that thrives in the DRC’s dense tropical forests, has previously caused multiple outbreaks in the country. Aid groups, however, fear that reduced foreign support and weakened global health funding may undermine the response to the current crisis.