Three vaccine makers have received funding of up to $50 million to develop a shot against the Ebola strain causing havoc in Africa, it was announced on Monday.
The attempt to counter the Bundibugyo strain of the virus comes as medics struggle to contain the outbreak in central Africa, with only 20 per cent of contacts currently being traced.
There was welcome news on Sunday, as four nurses treated for Ebola were discharged from a hospital in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo after recovering from the disease.
But the scope of suspected cases is widening. In DR Congo, the outbreak is being detected across an expanding area of the conflict-affected east.
Health authorities are on alert around the world. In Brazil, a man with a suspected case of Ebola in Sao Paulo tested positive for meningitis. Another suspected case in Rio de Janeiro tested positive for malaria. But in neither case does the diagnosis rule out the possibility of Ebola, authorities said.
In Italy, protocols for a suspected case of Ebola were triggered in Sardinia for a man who had flown back from DR Congo on Saturday with some symptoms. The Italian Health Ministry said early on Monday that he had tested negative.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Monday the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo was “likely significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest”. It said only 20 per cent of contacts were being traced.
Rachel Howard, an adviser with the IRC, said it was especially concerned about the virus spreading to other countries such as Burundi or South Sudan.
Under the vaccine agreement, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has committed up to $50 million to support development and early testing of Moderna's vaccine candidate.
A second potential shot is being developed by the International Aids Vaccine Initiative and the third by the University of Oxford, with production by the Serum Institute of India.
“A Bundibugyo vaccine could help to control this epidemic and strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks,” said World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
As well as the nurses, a laboratory worker has also recovered in recent days, bringing the total number of people who have recovered from the virus to five.
More recoveries are expected, especially among people who have diagnosed early and are able to access care, and as the response to the outbreak intensifies.
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has increased to 282, with 42 deaths, after 19 new positive test results were recorded, according to data distributed by the Dr Congo's Communications Ministry.
Earlier this month, the WHO declared the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo version of the virus in DR Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, although it does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.
On a visit to Bunia in DR Congo on Saturday, Dr Tedros noted that although there is no licensed vaccine or treatment for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus, “it is not without hope”, as the disease can be survived with good medical care.
