According to the media outlet, the vaccine was developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing. It is based on the 2014 mutant gene type and specifically targets the strain predominant in West Africa.
The vaccine comes in the form of a powder, which would ensure its stability for at least a fortnight in temperatures of up to 37 degrees Celsius. According to experts cited by Xinhua, this would assist with its large-scale production and allows for it to be used in Africa, where medical facilities often lack refrigeration.
Currently there is no known cure or vaccine for Ebola. Developing a vaccine is proving to be a challenge, as clinical trials have to be conducted very swiftly. The vaccines need to be kept in temperatures of below minus 80 degrees Celsius to preserve the weakened virus in them, which would be an issue in hot countries with limited electricity. Several countries, including Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Japan, are now trying to develop a vaccine for Ebola.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the epidemic has claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people, mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia this year. The WHO considers the use of experimental drugs to treat the disease as ethical.
