Ebola epidemic West Africa vaccinations from December

Ebola: First vaccinations in Africa already possible in December

25/10/2014

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first large-scale testing of Ebola vaccines in West Africa may begin in December. Recently there was talk of a start next year. The plague has already cost nearly 4,900 lives.

Large-scale tests from December
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first large-scale testing of Ebola vaccines in West Africa may begin in December. This was stated by Deputy Director-General of WHO, Marie-Paule Kieny, according to a message from the dpa news agency. The WHO was only a few days ago from a start in January. „This shows how currently working at full speed“, so Kieny. Since there is no cure or approved safe vaccine, doctors still have to restrict themselves to treating only the Ebola symptoms of the infected.

Vaccines are currently being tested in different countries
However, Kieny limited that initial smaller clinical trials of the two most promising vaccines had just begun. So it is still possible that the substances did not prove to be efficient. According to the information, one of the funds is currently being tested in the USA, Great Britain and Mali, the other in Germany, Switzerland, Gabon and Kenya. There are also at least five other vaccines that could in all probability go into the first clinical trial in early 2015.

The first vaccinations are planned in Liberia
If the current tests are positive, according to WHO, hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses will be available in the first half of next year. By the end of 2015, the number should go into the millions. The WHO Vice-Director pointed out that there are still enormous logistical challenges. For example, the vaccine must be constantly cooled to minus 80 degrees Celsius to remain effective. Kieny said the first vaccinations in West Africa are planned in Liberia. So far, most Ebola diseases and deaths have occurred in the country. Subsequently, Sierra Leone should follow. However, it is said that the infrastructure in Guinea has not yet been developed so that people can be vaccinated there on a large scale.

Very high death rate
According to recent WHO data, around 10,000 people have become infected with the deadly virus. Almost 4,900 people died of the dangerous infectious disease, most of them in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Infected people suffer from fever, diarrhea, heavy fluid loss as well as external and internal bleeding up to organ failure. The death rate as a result of Ebola infection varies depending on the pathogen strain. In the case of the currently rampant plague in West Africa, it was recently quoted at over 70 percent. (Ad)