Uganda Confirms 54 Cases Of Ebola And 19 Deaths, The WHO Head Calls The Sudanese Types Of Ebola Vaccine Trials Soon To Be Held

WHO Head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. (Wikimedia Commons/MONUSCO Photos)

JAKARTA - Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday clinical trials of a vaccine that could potentially combat the Ebola strain in Sudan that prompted the outbreak in Uganda could begin in a few weeks.

The East African nation announced the Ebola outbreak on September 20 and said infections were caused by Sudan's strain of the virus. So far, Uganda's Ministry of Health has confirmed a total of 54 Ebola cases and 19 deaths.

There are fears the spread of infection in the country could be difficult to control, as there is currently no vaccine for that type. For now, infections are concentrated in five districts in central Uganda.

In a virtual speech at a meeting of African regional health officials in the capital Uganda, Kamala, Dr. Tedros said several vaccines are currently being developed that could handle Sudan's strain.

Two of the vaccines "can be clinically tested in Uganda in the coming weeks, pending regulations and other approvals from the Ugandan government," he said.

"Our main focus now is to quickly control and contain this outbreak to protect neighboring districts and neighboring countries," he said.

However, Tedros did not provide details of the vaccine to be tested, including which name or company developed it.

Ebola, dengue fever, mainly spreads through contact with the body's fluids of an infected person. Symptoms of viral diseases include intense weaknesses, muscle aches, headaches and sore throats, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes include.

It is known that until now there has been no effective Ebola vaccine, as Sudan's strain spreading in Uganda is different from the Zaire strain that attacks West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo and can be immunized.

Despite not having a vaccine, WHO previously said Sudan's strain was less infectious and had shown lower mortality rates in previous outbreaks than Ebola Zare.