Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Denis Logunov, director of a national research center, reported that a new Russian vaccine stimulates an immune response and provides protection against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which causes the disease in Africa.
Logunov explained that the center has developed preliminary vaccine models that have demonstrated their ability to stimulate immunity and effectiveness in protective tests using simplified viral variants. He noted that these variants closely match the original virus and represent the first step toward proving the vaccine’s viability.
He also mentioned that continued work requires a fundamental decision regarding the necessity of the vaccine and obtaining a sample of the pathogen currently circulating in Africa, emphasizing the center’s readiness to conduct research if Africa shows genuine interest and is willing to provide the necessary information.
In addition, Andrei Brodius, chief pediatric allergist and immunologist in the Moscow health department, explained the mechanism for proving the effectiveness of the new vaccine against hard-to-reach infections, where an artificial model is created using a lab-manufactured substitute virus.
Earlier, the World Health Organization confirmed that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains in an “expansion phase,” noting that ongoing population movement and a weak health system continue to accelerate the spread of the disease in affected areas.
Doctors Without Borders previously warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Congo is advancing faster than containment efforts, calling for an urgent and coordinated expansion of preventive measures and healthcare.
It is noted that the United Nations had previously warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could cost the African continent up to $3.6 billion, in addition to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs, if the health crisis is not contained quickly.
