KAMPALA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- An ongoing Ebola vaccination for frontline health workers in Uganda's high risk areas has surpassed 1,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) said here on Sunday.
The global health body said in a statement that 1,175 healthcare and frontline 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 frontline health workers on Nov. 7 with support from WHO.
According to WHO, at least 2,100 doses of experimental rVSV-ZEBOV 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.
