Ebola vaccine trial to start in DR Congo as warning issued over speed of infections

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is gearing up to roll out an Ebola vaccine with some doses being used as part of a trial to see if it is effective against the Bundibugyo species of the virus that is currently circulating in the country.

The Ervebo vaccine does help protect against the Zaïre species of Ebola but currently there are no proven vaccines or treatments for Bundibugyo.

The rollout comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a new warning that Ebola was "growing exponentially" in the north and east of DR Congo and the spread of infections now covered an area bigger than France.

Close to 2,500 people have now died in this outbreak, which was declared three months ago.

Julien Harneis, the WHO's Ebola co-ordinator, told reporters that half of the deaths happened in the last 20 days.

"It is growing faster and wider than the Ebola response," he is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

'I buried my parents one day after the other' - Ebola mourners learn how to grieve safely

Recovery of Ebola patients offers rare moments of joy at epicentre of outbreak