Hundreds vaccinated against Ebola in southern Guinea

Nearly 800 people who may have been in contact with eight individuals infected with the Ebola virus have been vaccinated in southern Guinea, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.

The experimental vaccine, which was given to people over the past week, was found to be effective in preventing Ebola infection in a trial in Guinea, and has also been used in Sierra Leone, the WHO said.

The ring vaccination strategy is two-tiered, with vaccinations given not only to people who have come into contact with others suffering from Ebola but also to those people’s friends and family.

Guinea was declared free of Ebola in late December, but eight cases have been reported since late February with at least seven of the patients having died.

The WHO nevertheless said this week that Ebola was under control in West Africa and no longer constituted a global health emergency, after it killed more than 11,000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.