Chinese experts head to Africa to fight Ebola

China will send a team of public health experts to the Republic of Congo this week to help fight the recent Ebola outbreak.

Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the experts will evaluate the situation on the ground and seek to use a Chinese vaccine to combat the disease.

The vaccine has been developed by the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences and was approved by China’s top drug regulator last year.

The team, which includes four experts from the China CDC and several from the academy, will likely depart Beijing on Wednesday.

A total of 50 confirmed or suspected Ebola cases had been reported in the Republic of Congo as of May 30 since the most recent outbreak on April 4, resulting in 25 deaths, according to World Health Organization data shared with China CDC.

Some 682 people at high risk of infection in the African nation have received Ebola vaccines since May 21, the authority said.