A potential vaccine against the current Ebola outbreak may take up to nine months to become available. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported this timeline on Wednesday. Two experimental vaccines are in development. Neither has completed clinical trials yet, according to WHO advisor Dr. Vasee Moorthy. The virus has caused 600 suspected cases. It has also led to 139 suspected deaths. These numbers are expected to increase. The WHO declared a public health emergency. This was on Sunday. It is not yet considered a global pandemic. The risk is high for the region. It is low globally.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has 51 confirmed cases. These are in Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Two cases are confirmed in Uganda. Kampala, the capital, has both confirmed cases. Both individuals travelled from the DRC. One of them has died. The scale of the epidemic in the DRC is much larger. Healthcare workers are among those who have died. This is a major concern for health officials. Some health facilities are overwhelmed. They lack sufficient beds for patients. Personal protective equipment is arriving. However, workers still lack adequate protection. This situation is described as "crazy" by aid workers.
Investigations are underway. They aim to determine how long the virus has been spreading. The WHO's priority is to stop transmission. The first known case was a nurse. She showed symptoms and died on April 24. This was in Bunia, Ituri province. Her body was returned to Mongwalu. This town is a gold-mining area. Most cases are reported there. Ebola spreads through direct contact. This contact is with bodily fluids. It also spreads through broken skin. It causes severe bleeding and organ failure. People in affected areas understand the danger. They have stopped shaking hands. This is a significant cultural change.
Ebola was first identified in 1976. This was in the area now known as the DRC. It is believed to have spread from bats. There are four known species of Ebola. They cause disease in humans. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species. This species has not appeared for over a decade. It caused outbreaks in Uganda in 2007. It also caused an outbreak in the DRC in 2012. Those outbreaks killed about one-third of infected people. While less deadly than other strains, Bundibugyo is rare. This means fewer tools exist to combat it. There is no approved vaccine for Bundibugyo. Experimental ones are in development.
A vaccine for the Zaire species may offer some protection. This species is more common in the DRC. One candidate vaccine is being developed. It is similar to the Zaire vaccine. It is deemed the most promising candidate. Its availability for clinical trials is estimated at six to nine months. Another vaccine uses a platform like the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. It is currently being manufactured. Animal data does not yet support its effectiveness. Doses for clinical trials might be available in two to three months. This is uncertain. It depends on the results of animal trials. There are no drugs specifically targeting the Bundibugyo species. This makes treatment more difficult. Initial Ebola symptoms can mimic malaria or typhoid. These are common illnesses in the DRC. Years of conflict in eastern DRC complicate efforts to control the virus.