Kinshasa. Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have announced that they have begun testing a new vaccine in an effort to control the spread of Ebola. The test will assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, as well as identify appropriate groups for its use.
Possible side effects of the vaccine will also be monitored at different stages of the trial. Experts have made it clear that starting trials does not mean that the vaccine has been approved for general use or that its effectiveness has been proven. Data collected at different stages of clinical studies will have to be analyzed to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The health authorities are continuing to identify and monitor the infected, isolate patients, search for people who came in contact with them, and public awareness campaigns. These measures are considered important to control the spread of the virus. In addition, work is also being done to provide necessary materials to the health workers working on the front lines.
Congo declared an Ebola outbreak in mid-May. Ebola is a very deadly disease, which has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa in the past 50 years. The testing of the new vaccine is considered as an important step in the ongoing efforts to control the outbreak. Rasas