A woman received the Ebola vaccine during a trial in Monrovia, Liberia in 2015. The experimental vaccine is thought to be highly effective. (James Giahyue/Reuters)

Ebola vaccine developed by Canada okayed for Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo will allow a Canadian-developed experimental vaccine in to the country to combat the recent outbreak of Ebola. So far, 19 people have died of the highly-contagious hemorrhagic fever and another 39 cases are suspected.

On Sept. 30, 2014 a medical worker sprayed people discharged from an Ebola treatment center in Monrovia, Liberia. That outbreak killed more than 11,300 people. (Jerome Delay/AP Photo/file)

Thousands died in 2014

A massive outbreak that started in 2014 left more than 11,300 people dead in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. International agencies rushed staff and materials in to stop it. There have since been sporadic outbreaks that have been contained including eight in Congo since 1976.

Congo has requested that the World Health Organization (WHO) send 4,000 doses of the vaccine and they are expected to arrive by the end of the week. Coordination is vital as the vaccine must be kept at minus 60 degrees Celsius.

On Oct. 2, 2014, community activists found Mercy Kennedy, 9, crying after her mother was taken by ambulance to an Ebola ward in Liberia. (Jerome Delay/AP Photo/file)

Vaccine is for a different strain

The vaccine was developed by the Canadian government and its production has been licensed to Merck in the U.S. Although it was designed and found to be highly effective for a different strain of the virus, it is still considered to be safe and effective.

A delegation from the WHO visited the affected area which is in the country’s northwest. Teams on the ground have identified more than 350 people who had contact with patients. Mobile laboratories have been sent to Mbandaka and Bikoro.

Several international organizations including Medecins Sans Frontieres are working to fight and contain the outbreak.

Categories: Health, International, Internet, Science & Technology
Tags: , , , ,

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.