1,175 Ugandan health workers get Ebola vaccination

In this Sept. 9, 2018, file photo, a health worker sprays disinfectant on his colleague after working at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, Eastern Congo. Sometimes violent community resistance is complicating efforts to contain Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak, causing the rate of new cases to rise. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro, File)

An on-going Ebola vaccination for front line health workers in Uganda’s high risk areas has surpassed 1,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The global health body said in a statement that 1,175 healthcare and front line workers have so far been vaccinated out of the targeted 2,000 in the five western districts bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The vaccinated were in the three districts of Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo, which border eastern DRC where there was an outbreak of the highly contagious disease.

“Vaccination (is) going on well. On Tuesday, the vaccination team will move to the 4th district (Kabarole),” WHO said.

Uganda started Ebola vaccinations for front line health workers on November 7 with support from WHO.

According to WHO, at least 2,100 doses of experimental Ebola vaccine are currently available in the east African country.

However, supplementary doses have been requested.

With high fatality rates ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, the highly contagious Ebola virus can cause a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding.