The confirmation of the first case in Mbandaka, a city of 1.2 million people, has raised concerns that the virus could spread faster than expected.
So far, 25 people have died in the outbreak, and of 45 suspected cases, 14 have been confirmed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
It will be given to people who have had contact with people infected with Ebola and contacts of those contacts, Salama said.
An outbreak in 2014 in West Africa killed more than 11,000 people in months.
Experimental vaccine
But this will be the first time the vaccine is being employed to control the spread of Ebola, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States.
45 cases reported
Dr. Robert Steffen, the chairman of WHO’s Emergency Committee, said Friday that 25 people have died in the outbreak and 45 cases have been reported, including three in health care personnel.
Among the 45 cases, 14 have been confirmed as Ebola, mostly in the remote Bikoro health zone, although there’s one confirmed case in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s health ministry released slightly different numbers Saturday. It said in a statement that there have been 43 cases of hemorrhagic fever with 21 probable cases of Ebola, 17 confirmed cases and five that are suspected.
DRC Health Minister Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga said the discovery of a case in Mbandaka was particularly worrisome, as the Ebola virus is highly contagious once victims start showing symptoms.
Nine neighboring countries, including Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic, have been advised that they are at high risk of spread and have been supported with equipment and personnel.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is expected to address the annual world Health Assembly on Monday and is expected to discuss the outbreak.
The US Agency for International Development has already given $1 million to fight the Ebola outbreak.
CNN’s Euan McKirdy and Jacqueline Howard contributed to this article.
Source : Nbcnewyork