China's top food and drug authority announced on Friday that it has approved the country's first vaccine for Ebola virus disease. This makes China the third country, after the United States and Russia, with vaccines available for use to combat the deadly infectious disease, the China Food and Drug Administration said. The vaccine, named recombinant Ebola virus disease vaccine (Adenovirus type 5 vector), is available in powder, and, compared with liquid vaccines in the other two countries, is more stable. This highlights its advantages in transportation and use in tropical areas such as Africa, it said. The most serious outbreak of the disease, which hit West Africa in 2014, caused at least 11,300 deaths, according to the administration. The CFDA approved the application for registration of the new drug on Thursday. The drug was jointly developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing and CanSinoBio, a Chinese company in human vaccine development and production, according to the CFDA. The CFDA approved the application for clinical tests of the drug in February 2015, and received an application for registration for production of the drug in April, it said. The vaccine improves China's ability to prevent and control major public health threats and provides a new means for China to handle global disease epidemics effectively, it said. It will promote research and development of vaccines for major infectious diseases in China, the CFDA said. It demonstrates a major advance in China's ability in the technological innovation of biomedicine. CanSinoBio could not be reached by phone for comment on Friday. Li Lanjuan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor in infectious diseases at Zhejiang University, said the approval of the vaccine shows China has greatly increased its ability for research and development of vaccines. Clinical tests conducted on Africans in China showed the vaccine was safe and effective, said Li, who led the clinical tests at Zhejiang University in 2015. Clinical tests for the vaccine also were completed on 120 Chinese in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, in February 2015. Efforts to develop the Ebola vaccine started at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences more than seven years ago and the process accelerated with the outbreak of the disease in West Africa in 2014, according to a previous report by the news website caixin.com. The Ebola virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Mortality among those infected could reach 90 percent, according to the World Health Organization. There is yet no proven treatment available for the disease, but a range of potential treatments, including blood products, immunotherapies and drug therapies, are being evaluated, it said. rubber wristbandscustom fidgetjordan wristband
Sri Lankan flood victims await for relief workers to bring them drinkable water bottles and food at Godagama, Matara, southern part of Sri Lanka on May 30, 2017. [Photo/VCG] COLOMBO - Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday thanked the Chinese government and its people for their assistance to flood-hit families in the island country. Along with tents, blankets and funds donated by the Chinese government and companies, the Buddhist Association of China on Saturday also donated 22 million rupees ($144,000) to the Disaster Relief Fund to assist the families affected by the disaster. Speaking to Chinese monks and officials who were present from the donation, Sirisena said China had immediately responded to Sri Lanka's call for aid and had sent three ships of relief items for the victims. In addition, he said, a Chinese flight with more relief items is also expected to arrive in the island country. Many countries have helped us by sending ships and flights filled with relief items. Many have donated funds as well. On behalf of the government and its people, I wish to thank all these countries. These funds will now be used to build houses for those affected, Sirisena said. The president said China and Sri Lanka have shared a long lasting friendship which would only continue to be further strengthened. The Chinese relief items, along with donations of funds, have been distributed to thousands of Sri Lankan people affected by the floods and landslides which hit the nation earlier this week. An 18-member Chinese Blue Sky Rescue Team is also in the country, assisting forces and authorities to conduct cleaning operations, medical care and disease prevention in some of the worst-hit areas. The flood victims have commended the help offered by China. China has always helped us in many ways. We are praying for their safety and strength as they continue to help those affected in these areas, Nilanthi Dhammika, a villager in Pahiyangala in the country's south, said. Chairman of the Sevalanka Foundation Harsha Navaratne said Sri Lanka always remembered China's assistance especially during troubled times. Even during the ongoing disaster, the Chinese government along with its private sector provided great relief to the victims, he added. China has pledged to offer 15 million yuan ($2.2 million) in humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka after severe rains from May 26 caused disastrous floods and landslides in many districts of the country. So far 211 people have been killed while 91 others still missing in the worst disaster since 2003, according to the Disaster Management Center. Over 700,000 people have been affected by the floods and landslides while over 100,000 are seeking shelter in safe locations.
