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Ebola vaccine trial suspended for checks after joint pains Ebola vaccine trial suspended for checks after joint pains
(35 minutes later)
A clinical trial of the Ebola vaccine by Merck and NewLink has been interrupted in all 59 volunteers in Geneva a week early “as a measure of precaution” after four patients complained of joint pains in hands and feet, the University of Geneva hospital said on Thursday. A clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine has been suspended in all 59 volunteers in Geneva a week early “as a measure of precaution” after four patients complained of joint pains in hands and feet, the University of Geneva hospital said.
“They are all fine and being monitored regularly by the medical team leading the study,” it said in a statement. “They are all fine and being monitored regularly by the medical team leading the study,” it said on Thursday.
The human safety trials are due to resume on 5 January in up to 15 volunteers after checks to ensure that the joint pain symptoms were “benign and temporary”, the hospital said. The human safety trials of the vaccine being developed by the pharmaceutical firms Merck and NewLink are scheduled to resume on 5 January in up to 15 volunteers after checks to ensure that the joint pain symptoms were “benign and temporary”, the hospital added.
The decision to suspend the trials comes as health officials in Sierra Leone discovered scores of bodies in a remote diamond-mining area, raising fears of an alarming spike in the number of unreported deaths. The decision to suspend the trials comes as health officials in Sierra Leone discovered scores of bodies in a remote diamond-mining area, raising fears of a spike in the number of unreported deaths.
The World Health Organisation said they uncovered a “grim scene” in the eastern district of Kono. The World Health Organisation said it uncovered a “grim scene” in the eastern district of Kono.
Sierra Leone has now overtaken Liberia as the country with the highest number of Ebola cases in west Africa, with 7,897 cases since the beginning of the outbreak.Sierra Leone has now overtaken Liberia as the country with the highest number of Ebola cases in west Africa, with 7,897 cases since the beginning of the outbreak.
The WHO said in a statement that over 11 days “two teams buried 87 bodies, including a nurse, an ambulance driver, and a janitor drafted into removing bodies as they piled up”. The WHO said that over 11 days “two teams buried 87 bodies, including a nurse, an ambulance driver, and a janitor drafted into removing bodies as they piled up”.
The response team also found 25 people who had died in the past five days piled up in a cordoned section of the local hospital. The response team also found 25 people who had died in the past five days piled up in a cordoned-off section of the local hospital.
“Our team met heroic doctors and nurses at their wits’ end, exhausted burial teams and lab techs, all doing the best they could but they simply ran out of resources and were overrun with gravely ill people,” said Dr Olu Olushayo, a member of the WHO’s Ebola response team.“Our team met heroic doctors and nurses at their wits’ end, exhausted burial teams and lab techs, all doing the best they could but they simply ran out of resources and were overrun with gravely ill people,” said Dr Olu Olushayo, a member of the WHO’s Ebola response team.
Sierra Leone authorities said they ordered a two-week “lockdown” there until 23 December, in the hope of containing transmission of the virus, which was confirmed in seven people on Tuesday. The Sierra Leone authorities said they ordered a two-week “lockdown” in Kono until 23 December, in the hope of containing transmission of the virus, which was confirmed in seven people on Tuesday.
The district of more than 350,000 inhabitants had reported 119 cases up to 9 December.The district of more than 350,000 inhabitants had reported 119 cases up to 9 December.
Separately GAVI, the global vaccines alliance, has committed up to $300m (£192m) to buy Ebola vaccines and is ready to begin procurement as soon as the WHO recommends one for use, the alliance said on Thursday. Separately Gavi, the global vaccines alliance, has committed up to $300m (£192m) to buy Ebola vaccines and is ready to begin procurement as soon as the WHO recommends one for use, the alliance said on Thursday.
Up to an additional $90m could also be used to support countries to introduce the vaccines and to rebuild their health systems, it added.Up to an additional $90m could also be used to support countries to introduce the vaccines and to rebuild their health systems, it added.
Clinical trials with experimental shots are now underway as experts race to contain an epidemic that has killed more than 6,000 people in west Africa, though there is still uncertainty over how well they will work and how many doses are needed.Clinical trials with experimental shots are now underway as experts race to contain an epidemic that has killed more than 6,000 people in west Africa, though there is still uncertainty over how well they will work and how many doses are needed.