WHO Adds New Vaccine Candidates to Ebola Trial in DR Congo
(MENAFN) Two additional experimental vaccines are expected to be incorporated into an ongoing Ebola vaccination trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Tedros said specialist advisory groups had recommended adding ChAdOx1 BDBV, jointly developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India, alongside Moderna's mRNA-1469 candidate.
Both vaccines have been specifically developed to target the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
The clinical trial was launched last month using Ervebo, an approved vaccine that protects against the Zaire strain but has not been authorized for use against the Bundibugyo variant.
Tedros reported that Congo has recorded more than 10,000 Ebola infections and 5,000 deaths, while additional areas of transmission continue to emerge across the country.
Elsewhere, Kenya has documented nine infections, including two fatalities, while Nigeria has confirmed one case, according to the WHO.
The WHO chief also called on governments that have introduced travel restrictions in response to the outbreak to reconsider their measures, warning that such policies could undermine international cooperation and discourage countries from reporting infections openly.
"We call on countries that have imposed travel restrictions to lift them. Such restrictions punish countries for doing the right thing, create disincentives for transparency, and harm the response," said Tedros.
He added that the "WHO is supporting all countries neighboring DRC to prepare for the possible importation of cases."
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Tedros said specialist advisory groups had recommended adding ChAdOx1 BDBV, jointly developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India, alongside Moderna's mRNA-1469 candidate.
Both vaccines have been specifically developed to target the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
The clinical trial was launched last month using Ervebo, an approved vaccine that protects against the Zaire strain but has not been authorized for use against the Bundibugyo variant.
Tedros reported that Congo has recorded more than 10,000 Ebola infections and 5,000 deaths, while additional areas of transmission continue to emerge across the country.
Elsewhere, Kenya has documented nine infections, including two fatalities, while Nigeria has confirmed one case, according to the WHO.
The WHO chief also called on governments that have introduced travel restrictions in response to the outbreak to reconsider their measures, warning that such policies could undermine international cooperation and discourage countries from reporting infections openly.
"We call on countries that have imposed travel restrictions to lift them. Such restrictions punish countries for doing the right thing, create disincentives for transparency, and harm the response," said Tedros.
He added that the "WHO is supporting all countries neighboring DRC to prepare for the possible importation of cases."
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