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Russia’s Ebola Vaccine Ready For ‘Human Use’

Abbas Dulleh / AP

A Russian vaccine against Ebola is ready to be licensed for use in humans, the head of Russia's state health watchdog has announced.

Russia's Vaktora vaccine tested well in clinical trials, Rospotrebnadzor chief Anna Popova said Thursday.

The vaccine has shown to be up to 100 percent effective after two doses, the Interfax news agency reported.

More than 11,300 people died during an Ebola outbreak in Western Africa in 2013.

A vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline and the U.S. government has been used in human trials in the region alongside another vaccine developed by Newlink Genetics and Merck.

West Africa was declared Ebola free in June 2016, but the World Health Organization has warned that new flare-ups are still likely.

Russia dedicated $19 million to fighting the outbreak in October 2014 primarily by providing humanitarian aid.

The virus, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, liver failure and internal and external bleeding, kills approximately 50 percent of those who contract the illness.

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