EBOLA: Vaccine to the rescue
After claiming the lives of 11,300 people across the West
African Landscape over a three year outbreak (2013 – 2016) a vaccine against
the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease has been discovered. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), the vaccine has undergone successful trial and has
been found to provide “high protection” against the deadly virus. Results of
the trials were made known in the 23rd December 2016 edition of Lancet. The trial involved about 6000
people in Guinea during 2015. Credit for the vaccine goes to Merck, a
pharmaceutical company. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and immunization
(GAVI) provided a US$5 million contribution to Merck for future procurement of
the vaccine.
 |
| Late Dr. Stella Adedevoh |
Ebola came into Nigeria through Patrick Sawyer, A Liberian
who later died of the disease after spreading it to Dr. Stella Ameyo Adedevoh,
medical doctor with First Consultants Medical Centre, Lagos. Dr. Adedevoh died
of Ebola Virus Disease on 19th August 2014.
Ebola Facts
§ Patients have
high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage among other symptoms
§ The virus spread
by body fluids, such as blood and saliva
§ Fatality rate
can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 70%
§ Incubation
period is 2 - 21 days
§ There is no
proven vaccine or cure
§ Treatment is
by supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting
§ Fruit bats are
natural hosts of the virus.
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