First major trials of Ebola vaccine begins in Liberia

The first large-scale human trials of two experimental vaccines against Ebola virus has begun in Liberia’s capital Monrovia.
With help of these vaccines, scientists are aiming to immunise more than 30,000 volunteers, including front-line health workers in Liberia.
These trials are taking place after smaller studies determined that the vaccines were safe for human use. However, it is not yet clear whether these trial vaccines will offer protection against the disease.
Background

• As per World Health Organisation (WHO) Ebola outbreak (which started in July 2014) has infected more than 22,000 people and claimed more than 8,800 lives in three Western African countries Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
• Liberia was worst hit by this outbreak and alone had reported more than 3,600 deaths. But in past few months number of cases has been steadily decreased.
• Previously without any vaccine, health workers in these nations had fought the outbreak with old-fashioned public health measures which included isolating the sick, tracking and quarantining those who had contact with them, and setting up teams to safely for disposing death bodies of infected.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2015