The days go by and nothing seems to stand in the way Ebola virus spreadwhich is rampant in West Africa. The latest report published Monday evening by the World Health Organization (WHO) reports 1,013 dead, mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Faced with this scourge, the governments of the countries concerned are calling on the international community for help. The United States responded to the Liberian President’s request by announcing thedispatch of an experimental serum on Monday, the Zmapp, which was tested on two American aid workers and, in vain on the Spanish missionary, who died of fever on Monday.
In the aftermath of the United States, Canada volunteered to ship doses of another experimental treatment to Liberia.
While no vaccine to date can cure the deadly Ebola virus, the WHO considers that all means are good to try to curb this uncontrollable epidemic.
An emergency supply
The “vaccine” sent by Canada was developed by scientists at the Agency’s national microbiology laboratory in Winnipeg. As for the Zmapp, nothing guarantees to date its effectiveness and its absence of side effects. It has never been tested on humans but only on animals.
Canada is said to have produced 1,500 doses of this vaccine, which is very expensive to manufacture, of which 800 to 1,000 doses are intended for Liberia. “Our government is determined to do everything possible to support our international partners, including providing workers to help with the outbreak response and funding and access to our experimental vaccine,” said the Minister. Federal Health Officer, Rona Ambrose.
This Canadian shipment is considered a case of force majeure. In fact, it will act as an emergency supply and will be intended for aid workers or infected doctors in the field.
