More than 3,000 Ebola infections have now been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the country continues to battle the ongoing outbreak. At the same time, researchers have launched the world’s first clinical trial of a vaccine designed to protect against the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
According to the country’s health authorities, more than 3,000 confirmed Ebola cases have been recorded. Official figures show that the outbreak has claimed more than 1,300 lives, while 556 patients have recovered and another 755 remain hospitalized or are self-isolating. The outbreak has spread across five provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.
Vaccine Trials Reach a New Stage
DR Congo’s Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka said the government is funding the development of both a vaccine and a treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak. According to her, initial results could become available within the next two to four months.
Meanwhile, the University of Oxford has announced the launch of the world’s first clinical trial of the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine. The first volunteer has already received the experimental vaccine.
At present, there is no approved vaccine or licensed treatment specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
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