The race to contain a potential Ebola outbreak has intensified with three separate vaccine candidates now in development, two of which are being trialled by British research teams.
Scientists at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London are coordinating Phase 1 clinical trials for vaccines targeting the Zaire strain of the virus, following a resurgence of cases in Central and West Africa. The World Health Organisation has reported 47 suspected infections and 19 confirmed deaths in the past month, centred on remote regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.
Dr Helena Cross, a virologist at Oxford's Jenner Institute, said the current candidates drew on the same viral vector technology used in the successful Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. “We have a proven platform that can be rapidly adapted to emerging threats,” she said. “But we are not yet at the point of declaring an emergency. The situation is contained for now.”
The third vaccine, developed by the US-based biotechnology firm Gilead Sciences, is undergoing animal testing and is not expected to enter human trials for at least six months.
International health officials have expressed cautious optimism that the outbreak can be contained without a mass vaccination campaign. The WHO has deployed rapid response teams to the affected areas, and the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its emergency operations centre.
However, concerns remain over the logistical challenge of delivering vaccines to remote communities with limited healthcare infrastructure. The British government has committed £10 million to support vaccine distribution and cold chain logistics, as part of its broader commitment to global health security.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The UK is at the forefront of efforts to prevent this outbreak from spiralling into a full-blown epidemic. Our scientists are working with partners across the world to ensure that effective vaccines are available as quickly as possible.”
The last major Ebola outbreak, which occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, killed more than 11,000 people. A vaccine developed by Merck was used in subsequent outbreaks in the DRC, but questions remain about its long-term efficacy and the speed at which new vaccines can be deployed.
For now, the strategic priority remains surveillance and rapid case management. “Vaccines are a critical tool, but they are not a substitute for robust public health systems,” said Dr Cross. “We are watching this very closely.”
