The World Health Organization has recommended the use of two drugs against the Ebola virus, which it says have "revolutionized" the treatment of what had previously been thought of as a "near-certain killer." The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said two existing treatments significantly reduced deaths from the Ebola virus, which has killed thousands in Africa and elsewhere. The organization recommended that the treatments be given to people of all ages. It said that this had revolutionized the treatment of the often-fatal disease. What does the WHO recommend for Ebola treatment?  The WHO has recommended the use of two monoclonal antibodies, Ebanga (mAb114) and Inmazeb (REGN-EB3). Janet Diaz, head of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme’s clinical management unit, said studies showed that the two treatments significantly reduced mortality. She said the use of the new drugs could save 230-400 lives for every 1,000 infections, depending on the standard of care. The organization said the two treatments were appropriate for older people, pregnant and breastfeeding people, children and newborns. Patients should receive recommended neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as soon as possible after laboratory confirmation of diagnosis, the UN health agency said in a statement. The drugs were trialed following an outbreak of the disease in 2018-2020 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to WHO figures, there were more than 3,300 confirmed cases of Ebola registered in the epidemic, of whom almost 2,300 succumbed to the disease. The WHO has recommended against using other therapeutics that have been tested for Ebola treatment, such as the monoclonal antibody ZMapp and antiviral drug Remdesivir. Access to treatments challenging The WHO warned that access to the treatments was still challenging, especially in resource-poor areas. WHO is ready to support countries, manufacturers and partners to improve access to these treatments, and to support national and global efforts to increase affordability, it said. Diaz said that, although the drugs were currently available in Congo, more needed to be done to increase their affordability. Pathways to access is a priority to work on right now, she said. Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever that was identified in central Africa in 1976. Fatality rates from the disease can be as high as 80% to 90%. Ebola virus disease used to be perceived as a near-certain killer. However, that is no longer the case, Robert Fowler, co-chair of the WHO’s guideline development group, said. He said effective use of the treatments now led to recovery in the vast majority of cases depending on the standard of care where patients receive treatment.

One out of four people interviewed in eastern Congo last year believed Ebola wasn't real, according to a new study released Wednesday, underscoring the enormous challenges health care workers are now facing. The survey found that a deep mistrust of the Ebola response resulted in those people being 15 times less likely to seek medical treatment at an Ebola health center, according to the study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. The study was based on interviews conducted last September, about a month after the outbreak began. It comes as the number of probable and confirmed cases has exceeded 1,000. At least 639 people have died from Ebola since August in what is now the second deadliest outbreak in history, according to the World Health Organization. The outbreak's response has been hampered by a series of deadly attacks on Ebola health centers since the study was completed. As a result, Doctors Without Borders has stopped staffing two health centers at the outbreak's epicenter after violent attacks. Researchers said their study published Wednesday showed more precisely how individual people's misinformed views about Ebola were undermining the response and helping to spread the deadly virus. "It really helps us understand how central and fundamental community trust should be as part of the response," said Patrick Vinck of Harvard University, who led the research. Eva Erlach, the community engagement and accountability delegate for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, called the findings "absolutely interesting" and said they show how the level of trust correlates with preventative behaviors. The organization has had more than 800 trained volunteers working to get out prevention messages amid the region's security challenges. "There is still a part of the community who do not believe that Ebola is real and we definitely still need to continue focusing on community engagement," said Erlach, who was not part of the study. "And this is why this report is so helpful even if it's from September." WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month he was encouraged "to see the communities accepting the response more and more." Wednesday's study highlights just how pervasive misinformation has been in places in eastern Congo like Beni and Butembo, where in-person interviews were conducted with 961 people. Some 25.5 percent of those interviewed did not believe Ebola was real. In addition, nearly 45.9 percent of people thought the Ebola outbreak was being fabricated to destabilize the region or for financial gain. Additionally 18.2 percent believed all three of those statements, the study found. Those who didn't believe Ebola was real were far less likely to agree to agree to the Ebola vaccine or to go to a treatment center. Ebola is spread through the bodily fluids of the sick, and isolation of those infected is key to stopping transmission. This outbreak has been uniquely challenging because of the volatile security situation in the region. Eastern Congo is home to numerous armed groups and the Ebola epidemic has deepened the political and economic grievances of many in the area. The fact that people in Ebola affected areas were excluded from the December presidential election has only heightened conspiracy theories. Tariq Riebl, of the International Rescue Committee, who is currently working in eastern Congo, said the findings released Wednesday mirror what he and his colleagues are seeing on the ground. Concern remains about how Ebola prevention efforts are going because new cases are still emerging. "Once you reach a wider outbreak zone, especially urban zones, the community engagement and prevention side of things is almost more important than the treatment side," Riebl said. "If you can't have those messages out successfully, it doesn't matter if you have all the treatment options available because no one is ever arriving to take advantage of that," he said. Source: AP AH