Ebola Outbreak

"Would there have been a vaccine if Ebola had hit Europe"

There is a distrust between Africa and Western countries. This is what Jean Kaseya, director general of the African Union's disease control unit Africa CDC, tells Dagens Nyheter about the Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa.

- If this had been a disease that had hit Europe or the USA, there would already have been both vaccines and treatments, he says.

He also sees more levels of distrust: between the population and the government in Congo, and between the residents. This is something he fears could lead to violence.

The Ebola Outbreak — it's about the matter

• A new Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa has led to over 200 deaths and nearly 700 infections, according to the authorities.
• The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo variant, which lacks both a vaccine and treatment and has a high mortality rate.
• The disease has spread to Uganda, where five cases have been confirmed and at least one person has died.
• The WHO has declared a "global public health emergency" and sent experts and equipment to affected areas in Ituri province.
• Local conflicts, lack of infrastructure and delayed detection have complicated efforts to combat the infection.