Congo has started vaccinating healthcare workers and other front-line responders against Ebola in Bunia, a region at the heart of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. The provincial government has prioritized these workers for the Ervebo vaccine, which has shown effectiveness against past outbreaks caused by a different, more common strain of the virus. The vaccination campaign is focused on Bunia and Mongbwalu, two of the hardest-hit areas in Ituri province, where the outbreak has been most severe. The military governor of Ituri, Maj. Gen. Gaby Kasongo Mulumba, emphasized that the vaccination drive is not a random decision but a strategic move to protect those most at risk. Front-line workers are directly exposed to the virus and play a critical role in the response. The campaign in Ituri and neighboring North Kivu provinces is expected to cover 20,000 health workers over six to nine months. As of Saturday, the country reported 7,541 confirmed cases, with 3,639 deaths and 1,823 recoveries. This outbreak is the deadliest of the 17 previous Ebola outbreaks in Congo and is currently out of control, with the potential to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed over 11,000 people. Dr. Jeannot Elua, a healthcare worker in Bunia, said the vaccine is “beneficial” and that receiving it is mandatory for those on the front lines. Some workers had already received the previous vaccine during earlier outbreaks. However, Dr. Jean Paul Uzele, a health worker vaccinated during the 10th Ebola outbreak, expressed uncertainty about whether a second dose is needed. “If it arrives, we will receive it too,” he said, adding that the need for a second vaccination remains unclear. The Ervebo vaccine was also recently introduced in Kisangani, in Tshopo province, as part of a broader effort to combat the outbreak. The vaccine, approved for use against the Zaire strain of Ebola, is being used under a compassionate-use program to address the current outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which no licensed vaccine or treatment exists. While the two viruses are related, it is still being studied whether Ervebo can effectively protect against Bundibugyo. The World Health Organization has approved 70,000 doses of Ervebo for use in Congo, with 50,000 intended for front-line workers and 20,000 for a clinical trial.