When will an Ebola vaccine be available? WHO sounds off

International

THE World Health Organization (WHO) warned that it could take up to nine months before a vaccine against the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is ready, as suspected cases and deaths continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda.

In a report by BC, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there have been 600 suspected Ebola cases and 139 suspected deaths, with figures expected to rise due to delays in detecting the virus.

Initial symptoms of Ebola often resemble illnesses such as malaria and typhoid, making early identification more difficult.

Earlier on Sunday, May 17, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, although it clarified that the situation had not reached pandemic level.

The organization assessed the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels, but low globally.

The WHO confirmed 51 Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the eastern Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, as well as North Kivu province.

Two confirmed cases were also reported in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, involving individuals who had traveled from DR Congo, one of whom has died.

Tedros acknowledged that the scale of the outbreak in DR Congo is likely much larger than confirmed figures currently show, adding that healthcare workers were among those who had died, raising concerns over the safety of frontliners responding to the outbreak.

Local health workers said some facilities are becoming overwhelmed as Ebola cases continue to rise.

Although personal protective equipment has started to arrive, health workers said they are still operating without adequate protection.

Response efforts are also being complicated by years of conflict in eastern DR Congo, where healthcare systems remain strained.

Trish Newport, an emergency program manager for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said health facilities have reported running out of space for suspected Ebola patients.

“‘We are full of suspect cases. We don’t have any space,’” Newport said, adding, “‘This gives you a vision of how crazy it is right now.’”

Although DR Congo is facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, the Bundibugyo species presents additional challenges because it has not been seen for more than a decade.

Bundibugyo has only caused two previous outbreaks in Uganda in 2007 and DR Congo in 2012, killing about a third of those infected.

While the strain is considered less deadly than other Ebola species, experts said its rarity means there are fewer tools available to contain it.

There is currently no approved vaccine or drug specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain, although experimental vaccines are under development.

WHO advisor Dr. Vasee Moorthy said two possible candidate vaccines are currently being developed, but neither has undergone clinical trials yet.

Moorthy said one candidate vaccine could become the equivalent of the currently available Ebola vaccine used against the Zaire strain.

According to him, the most promising Bundibugyo vaccine candidate could take six to nine months before becoming available.

Another vaccine, based on the same platform as the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, is currently being manufactured, although researchers still lack animal data confirming its effectiveness.

Moorthy said doses could become available for clinical trials within two to three months, but added that uncertainty remains over whether it will prove effective against the Bundibugyo strain.(Althea Alexis M. Dimasuhid, CNU Main Campus BA Comm Intern)