#NEWSUPDATE: DR Congo is tackling a new Ebola outbreak with an experimental vaccine
In its battle to stop the spread of the Ebola after a recent outbreak, a new WHO-backed vaccine is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s weapon of choice. On May 12, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo after it confirmed three deaths. At the time, the United Nations health agency said there was no cause for panic. Now, with as many as 52 suspected cases, DR Congo’s health ministry is stepping up its response and has approved the use of a new experimental vaccine to stop the outbreak. In published findings from tests of the vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV, it showed a 100% protection rate . During trials conducted in Guinea, thousands of people tested were all confirmed as virus-free within 10 days . While WHO said at the time that the vaccine will not be available for mass use until 2018, pharmaceutical giants Merck, backed by GAVI, a global vaccine alliance, made 300,000 doses of the vaccine available in the event of an out...