Congolese authorities will begin administering an experimental Ebola vaccine on Monday in Mbandaka, a northwestern city of 1.2 million people, where the lethal virus has claimed the life of one person.

The number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has increased to 21 – many of them in Mbandaka – and the risk of the deadly virus spreading further has been dubbed "high."

Read more: Congolese health officials confirm three new cases of Ebola

Mbandaka is just an hour's flight from the capital Kinshasa

Health workers with World Health Organization (WHO) officials are trying to contain the disease.

"The vaccination campaign begins tomorrow, Monday, in Mbandaka, capital of the province [Equateur province]. It will target, first, the health staff, the contacts of the sick and the contacts of the contacts," Minister of Health Oly Ilunga said on Sunday.

The vaccination drive will initially target 600 people.

A spokesperson for the health ministry said Sunday that 4,000 doses of vaccines were shipped on Sunday to the city. The WHO confirmed dispatching 7,450 vaccine doses to Congo, but government officials said they needed a total of 300,000 vaccines.

Watch video 01:47 Share Ebola in DR Congo Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2xxxT WHO raises threat level of Ebola in DR Congo

DRC's President Joseph Kabila agreed to increase funds for the Ebola emergency to $4 million (€3.4 million).

Ebola is a near-fatal disease that causes a hemorrhagic fever that often leads to massive internal bleeding.

This is the ninth Ebola outbreak in Congo in four decades. The last major Ebola outbreak hit the eastern African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2014, killing some 11,000 people.

Read more:

High risk of Ebola spreading in DR Congo and across its borders

Ebola: WHO raises Congo risk to 'very high'

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Protective clothing Proper protective clothing for doctors and nurses is critical. All exposed skin must be covered with a material that cannot be penetrated by the virus. But the suit alone isn't enough: Proper procedure is also important.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Suiting up Health care workers must practice correctly putting on a protective suit, as seen here at the special isolation unit in Dusseldorf. New suits are used every time, so there is no risk of infection when getting dressed. Unprotected workers are therefore able to help.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Completely separate The patient rooms in the Dusseldorf isolation unit are completely shielded from the outside world. Air is filtered, and wastewater must go through a separate treatment process. The protective suits, used at all times in the ward, are kept at positive pressure. These measures go further than is necessary: While Ebola can be transmitted by contaminated objects, the virus is not airborne.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Disinfectant shower After the patient is treated, the entire suit is sprayed from the outside with a disinfectant to kill off any potential viruses. Only after this shower can the suit be removed - cautiously.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Outside help When removing the protective suit, health care workers must exercise extreme caution. Using permanently installed protective gloves, outside assistance can be provided without coming into direct contact with the suit. After use, the suit is immediately disposed of and burned.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Infected nurses Despite the high safety standards, a total of three nurses in Spain and the United States have contracted the disease. The circumstances surrounding the infection have not yet been clarified. The nurses' homes (as seen here in Texas) were sealed off and disinfected after the discovery of the transmission.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Protection in Africa Doctors and nurses in West Africa have now also been outfitted with protective suits. However, these do not always meet the standards deemed necessary for effective protection. Sometimes, small areas of skin are left unprotected, or the material used in the suit is permeable. In addition, putting the suit on and removing it can be risky.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Isolating the dead Extreme caution is also necessary at the funerals of people who have died of Ebola. A West African tradition, which sees the family of the deceased wash the body has led to many new infections. For mourning friends and family, these strict isolation measures are often hard to understand.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Tent as isolation units In a region where medical care is extremely underdeveloped, such an outbreak provides a daunting challenge. Infected people, like here in Liberia, are cared for in hastily constructed tents. But even a country like Germany would probably be overwhelmed by such an epidemic. At the moment, the country only has around 50 beds set up in isolation units.

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Incineration instead of sunlight In some of the affected West African regions, contaminated suits are hung out in the sun in an attempt to disinfect them for further use. But it's much safer to burn the clothing immediately after use, as seen here in Guinea. However, supply shortages and the high prices of suits make such advice difficult to follow. Protective clothing can cost between €30 and €200 ($40-$250).

Ebola: Fight against the deadly virus Airport controls Air travelers represent the biggest threat when it comes to transmission of the virus over long distances. For this reason, travelers' temperatures are now being monitored at some airports. However, this method does not provide absolute security: Ebola's incubation period is up to 21 days. Author: Marcus Lütticke / cmk



'Vigorous response' needed

Health officials are trying to locate more than 500 people who they believe have been in contact with those feared infected. But the task is extremely challenging in Mbandaka, a densely populated city that is an hour's flight from the capital Kinshasa. It lies near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki Rivers.

As of May 15, health officials had identified 527 contacts between people believed to be infected with Ebola.

Despite the rapid spread of the disease, the WHO on Friday decided against declaring an international health emergency.

There is "strong reason to believe this situation can be brought under control," said Dr. Robert Steffen, who chaired the WHO expert meeting on Friday. But without a vigorous response "the situation is likely to deteriorate significantly," he added.

Read more: Ebola outbreak in DRC: What is being done?

Watch video 01:53 Q&A with DW's Helena Humphrey on the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

shs/jm (Reuters, AP, dpa)

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