1. #Ebola: Big thing to watch in the DRC outbreak is whether #Merck's experimental vaccine gets used. It's the one that was shown effective in a ring trial in West Africa. (And yes, made at Canada's national lab. 🇨🇦)
2. #Ebola: @WHO contact tells me discussions have already begun with DRC about laying the groundwork to use the #Merck vaccine, if it's needed/wanted.
3. #Ebola: DRC had an Ebola outbreak last year around this time and there was a lot of "will they? won't they?" about the #Merck vaccine, which still hasn't been licensed. In the end, the outbreak was contained after only 8 cases & the vaccine wasn't needed.
4. #Ebola: The @WHO statement doesn't specify, but given they're in talks about using the vaccine this outbreak must be caused by the Ebola Zaire virus. Most of DRC's 9 Ebola outbreaks have been caused by the Zaire virus, though they've had 2 caused by Bundibugyo virus.
4. #Ebola: The species is important because the #Merck vaccine only protects against Ebola Zaire.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh