A new oral vaccine for cholera has received prequalification by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on April 12,2024.
The inactivated oral vaccine Euvichol-S has a similar efficacy to existing vaccines but a simplified formulation, allowing opportunities to rapidly increase production capacity.
According to the Director, Department for Regulation and Prequalification, WHO, Dr Rogerio Gaspar, “The new vaccine is the third product of the same family of vaccines we have for cholera in our WHO prequalification list.”
“The new prequalification is hoped to enable a rapid increase in production and supply which many communities battling with cholera outbreaks urgently need,” he said.
WHO prequalification list already includes Euvichol and Euvichol-Plus inactivated oral cholera vaccines produced by EuBiologicals Co., Ltd, Republic of Korea, which also produces the new vaccine Euvichol-S. Vaccines provide the fastest intervention to prevent, limit and control cholera outbreaks but supplies have been at the lowest point amidst countries facing dire shortcomings in other areas of cholera prevention and management such as safe water, hygiene and sanitation.
There were 473 000 cholera cases reported to WHO in 2022 — double the number from 2021.
Further increase of cases by 700 000 was estimated for 2023. Currently, 23 countries are reporting cholera outbreaks with most severe impacts seen in the Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
…As Avian Influenza Breaks Out In Vietnam
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been notified about a case of human infection with an influenza A(H9N2) virus in Viet Nam on April 9,2024 by the International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP).
The patient, who had underlying conditions and was in severe condition, was admitted to intensive care on March 21, 2024.
A respiratory sample was collected on 21 March 21 and tested positive for influenza by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and subsequently, virus subtyping confirmed avian influenza A(H9N2) on April 8
Case investigation identified that the case lives near a poultry market, where poultry trade occurs daily in front of his house.
As at April 15, there have been no reports of new cases with respiratory symptoms among contacts of the case or outbreaks in the community where the case resides.
This is the first human infection with an avian influenza A(H9N2) virus reported in Vietnam.
According to the IHR (2005), a human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus subtype is an event that has the potential for high public health impact and must be notified to the WHO.
Based on available information, WHO assesses the risk to the general population posed by this virus as low.
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