The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing a large-scale Ebola outbreak. According to the latest data, more than 1,600 people have died from the virus. Against this backdrop, the World Health Organization announced that the first tests of experimental vaccines were launched in record time, reports infohub.kz.
According to WHO, there have been 3,748 confirmed cases and 1,657 deaths in 49 health zones across five provinces. About 17,000 contacts are being monitored, with roughly 80% checked daily.
Dr. Mike Ryan, acting head of WHO's research and development program, said that protocols developed before the epidemic helped accelerate testing of new treatments.
"If you compare this outbreak to previous ones, we can say that we were able to start trials faster. Indeed, the preclinical data we have are encouraging," he said.
However, the professor stressed that only clinical trials can determine whether treatments and vaccines are effective.
Recall that the outbreak in Congo began in May this year. The cause was the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment. WHO estimates that vaccine development will take at least six months.
Kursiv previously reported that Bundibugyo was first identified in 2007 and is rarer than the better-known Zaire ebolavirus. It is poorly understood and associated with high mortality. Currently, treatment is limited to supportive care and management of complications.
Ebola is not transmitted through the air. Infection occurs only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The risk increases when healthcare workers lack protective measures and when caring for the sick.