MOSCOW, November 16 (Sputnik) – The first two Russian planes, carrying medicine and hospital equipment to Ebola-hit Guinea, have departed from Sochi, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov has announced.
"The first two An-124 (Ruslan) military transport aircraft of the Russian Air Force with a field hospital and medicine for the Republic of Guinea have departed from Sochi for the Conakry airport," Maj. Gen. Konashenkov said.
According to the spokesman, the planes are carrying over 150 metric tons of special medical equipment for the field hospital, which can host 200 patients that can be treated simultaneously.
On Saturday, Dmitry Peskov, the Russian President's spokesman, announced that Russia has decided to donate a mobile clinic to Guinea to help fight the spread of Ebola in the West African country. According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu to arrange the prompt transport of the equipment.
Ebola has already killed a total of 5,177 people, with 14,413 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of the virus having been reported, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data.
Although there is no officially approved medication for Ebola, several countries, including Russia, are currently working on trial vaccines.