Ebola cases rise in Africa; Russia announces new vaccine for Bundibugyo strain

Moscow: Russia has announced the development of a new vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus amid growing concerns over the outbreak in parts of Africa.

The announcement was made by Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and later shared by the Russian Embassy in South Africa on social media platform X.

According to Russian scientists, the newly developed vaccine is expected to offer protection against the rare Bundibugyo strain, which is currently spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring regions.

Health officials said nearly 1,000 suspected Ebola cases have been identified in affected African regions so far, while 101 infections have been officially confirmed.

Experts noted that although the Bundibugyo strain is considered less deadly than the Zaire strain of Ebola, it carries the risk of faster transmission. At present, there is no globally approved vaccine or specific treatment available for this strain.

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids or contaminated materials of infected individuals.