WHO holds emergency committee meeting amid rising Ebola death toll

A meeting of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) is scheduled to take place to discuss potential vaccine options for the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The WHO has declared an international health emergency over the epidemic, which has already spread into Uganda.

According to Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba, the current death toll from the outbreak stands at 131 confirmed deaths from 513 suspected cases. This is a significant increase from previous figures, which reported 91 deaths out of 350 suspected cases.

The WHO’s Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has expressed concern over the rapid spread of the epidemic and its potential impact on neighboring countries. A meeting of the WHO’s Emergency Committee will be held later today to discuss possible vaccine options for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is responsible for the current outbreak.

No approved vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain, but animal studies have shown evidence of protection against it using a vaccine called Ervebo. The WHO has announced that six tons of supplies, including personal protective equipment and medical supplies, will be delivered to the DRC on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Germany is preparing to admit and treat a US citizen who contracted Ebola in the DRC. The German Ministry of Health confirmed that the American had tested positive for the virus after exposure related to their work in the country.

A panel of experts from the WHO’s Emergency Committee will convene to discuss potential vaccine options for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has a fatality rate of up to 50 percent. The committee will review available evidence and make recommendations on the best course of action to take during the outbreak.

Source: Al Jazeera