A new hope for stopping Ebola
For the first time, health officials will use an experimental vaccine to stop an Ebola outbreak in its early stages.
What happened: In its latest count, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 42 Ebola cases, including 23 deaths, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between April 4 and May 13. Late last night, the first urban case of the outbreak was discovered.
How the vaccine works: Manufactured by Merck, it uses an animal virus to carry a gene that makes an Ebola protein.
Vaccine deployment: The WHO confirmed to MIT Technology Review that 4,300 doses of the vaccine arrived in Kinshasa yesterday. Another 4,000 will be sent in the coming days.
Real-time response: When the vaccine was tested in a clinical trial in West Africa in 2015, it appeared to be 100 percent effective at preventing Ebola from spreading—but at that point the outbreak there was already waning. This time, health officials hope the vaccine will stop the virus in its tracks.
What happened: In its latest count, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 42 Ebola cases, including 23 deaths, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between April 4 and May 13. Late last night, the first urban case of the outbreak was discovered.
How the vaccine works: Manufactured by Merck, it uses an animal virus to carry a gene that makes an Ebola protein.
Vaccine deployment: The WHO confirmed to MIT Technology Review that 4,300 doses of the vaccine arrived in Kinshasa yesterday. Another 4,000 will be sent in the coming days.
Real-time response: When the vaccine was tested in a clinical trial in West Africa in 2015, it appeared to be 100 percent effective at preventing Ebola from spreading—but at that point the outbreak there was already waning. This time, health officials hope the vaccine will stop the virus in its tracks.
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