The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, has explained why vaccines are not available for the current Ebola outbreak spreading across Africa.
The Director General of the Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’ on Thursday, said the lack of vaccine is because partners consider Ebola an African issue.
"If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccines would already be available," Kaseya said.
DAILY POST reports that the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
He said unlike the Democratic Republic of Congo’s strain which caused the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic and has a licensed vaccine, Ervebo, the Bundibugyo strain has no licensed shield.
According to him, the Africa CDC has initiated clinical trials of new vaccines, including a new Bundibugyo vaccine manufactured in Egypt.
He said the current outbreak is the most geographically widespread in history, affecting three regions of Africa, with over 9,500 infections and about 4,600 deaths in DR Congo alone.
Recall that Nigeria confirmed its first case on Tuesday in a woman who arrived from Uganda on October 3, and since then, 44 contacts are being monitored.
No vaccine for current Ebola outbreak - Africa CDC gives shocking reason