Rwanda, DR Congo To Vaccinate 700,000 Against Ebola

Rwanda and the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo have unveiled a massive vaccination campaign for their citizens living within the vicinity of a possible Ebola outbreak, according to media reports on Monday.

According to Rwanda-based The New Times newspaper, the campaign was launched at the "Grande Barrière one-stop border post in Rubavu District" targeting citizens who frequently travel from one country to another.

"Rwanda will vaccinate a total of 200,000 locals from Rubavu and Rusizi districts which border the DRCongo while the latter will vaccinate over 500,000 residents from various areas," according to the newspaper.

"Today marks an important step in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease in our communities since the virus or any other epidemic disease does not respect the geographical boundaries of countries," it "ed Rwanda's Health Minister Dr. Diane Gashumba as saying.

"This vaccine had been tried in a number of countries such as the U.S, France, United Kingdom, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda," Gashumba added.

Ebola -- a tropical fever which first appeared in 1976 in Sudan and the DRC -- can be transmitted to humans from wild animals.

It can also reportedly spread through contact with body fluids, infected persons or of those who have succumbed to the virus.

Ebola caused global alarm in 2014 when the world's worst outbreak began in West Africa, killing more than 11,300 people and infecting an estimated 28,600 as it swept through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. -