New Ebola virus cases in Congo, authorities prepare experimental treatment

The ministry confirmed about the latest cases near the town of Mangina in Congo’s North Kivu province. However, the disease has not touched the red zone.

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: August 12, 2018 2:00 pm

New hope for Ebola cases ©Shutterstock

In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo new cases of Ebola virus have been confirmed by the health ministry. As per as the ministry authorities are prepared to deploy an experimental treatment. The ministry confirmed about the latest cases near the town of Mangina in Congo’s North Kivu province. However, the disease has not touched the red zone. Until now, Congo has experienced 10 outbreaks since 1976.

Although, several of these cases have not been confirmed, but overall the haemorrhagic fever is believed to have killed 38 people. According to the standardmedis.co report, the authorities have begun vaccinating healthy people who had contact with confirmed cases and the health workers this week.

Last month, in western Congo the experimental vaccine, manufactured by Merck, proved effective against Ebola virus outbreak. According to the Reuters report, Steve Ahuka, a virologist at the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) in the capital Kinshasa said that for the first time the officials are also ready to use an experimental treatment called mAB114 on Ebola patients. In 1995, the treatment was developed in the United States and was 100 per cent effective when tested on monkeys. I was developed by using the antibodies of the survivor of an Ebola outbreak in the western Congolese city of Kikwit.

Ahuka reportedly said to the Reuters, “It’s experimental. So we are following the protocol. It has been submitted to the ethical committee and the ethical committee gave its okay.” He also said other experimental treatments, including ZMapp, a similar antibody drug made by Mapp Biopharmaceuticals in San Diego, could also be used.

Image Source: Shutterstock

Published: August 12, 2018 2:00 pm | Updated:August 12, 2018 2:00 pm

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