Ebola outbreak: When will a vaccine be developed for the new strain?
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency due to a new outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. This strain is different from previous Ebola viruses and currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, with over 130 deaths reported among more than 500 suspected cases.Key Facts
- The Ebola outbreak is mainly in northeastern DRC’s Ituri province, near Uganda and South Sudan.
- The virus has spread within DRC and crossed into neighboring Uganda, with at least one death there.
- There are about 513 suspected Ebola cases and 131 deaths linked to this Bundibugyo strain.
- More than 120 people are quarantined in Uganda to control the spread.
- Bundibugyo Ebola has caused past outbreaks with death rates of 30-50 percent.
- No licensed vaccine or treatment currently exists for this strain of Ebola.
- The WHO declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern.”
- Conflicts and displacement in the region make managing the outbreak more difficult.
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