In an announcement on Friday, the World health Organization (WHO) said, the yearlong Ebola outbreak in East Africa still remains an international emergency, though the number of cases plummeted in recent months.
The organization had also confirmed that the clinical trial experiments of the vaccine is considered as a big challenge for the authorities over there and the vaccination results from Guinea is going to determine the next steps of vaccinations. According to the international aid agencies and health experts, though the plummeting numbers in the region is a good news for the East African countries, it has become difficult for aid agencies and drug companies to determine if the experimental vaccine is going to protect the people from the deadly virus.
Aid agencies said, till last week they have received 30 confirmed Ebola cases in East Africa. WHO said this is the lowest number since the outbreak was confirmed one year ago. In a press conference, Bruce Aylward, who is leading the WHO`s efforts in East Africa against Ebola said, “The issue is - can we complete a Phase III trial in humans? That will be a challenge.” According to the organization Ebola is disappearing in Liberia, as there are no cases reported since April 5. It was also reported that there were only 9 cases reported in Sierra Leone. But it was also confirmed that Ebola is spreading in Western Guinea, as new cases of Ebola was reported in the capital Conakry.
It was previously reported that an experimental Ebola vaccine manufactured by Merck and NewLink Genetics was tested in the affected communities in the area. WHO said, they are trying to create a “ring of immunity” around most of the affected areas, especially in the known hot zones. In a statement, aid agencies said, they have created 7 such rings and had used the experimental vaccine. It was also confirmed that, they want to create around 100 safety rings like that. In a statement WHO said, the testing in Guinea would deliver, “a meaningful answer.”
WHO said, if testing of the experimental vaccine fails to provide definite efficiency, they will still go through with their plan to use the vaccine. They said, they will look into the data provided by the manufacturer`s efficient teste from non-human subjects. They also confirmed that they also have to look at the safety and immune system response in humans. It was also reported that another vaccine is being developed by GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson & Johnson, working with Bavarian Nordic. But the World Health Organization officials said, Ebola still poses risk to other countries, but international spreading of the disease is ruled out.
