Breakthrough made in treating Ebola virus

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 600 people (580 confirmed and 48 probable), have contracted the Ebola virus, with 383 deaths reported, according to figures released January 10 by the World Health Organization.

The spread of virus has been difficult to contain because of an ongoing conflict in the country’s east, despite medical advances, including a vaccine.

The DRC is where Ebola was first discovered in 1976, when the country was called Zaire.

The disease was named after the Ebola River where the virus was spreading. Between then and 2013, there was no treatment or a vaccine.

The outbreak ran its course in quarantined communities.

Scientists started studying the virus, however, trying to come up with better ways to handle its various deadly strains.

They succeeded in producing a vaccine to help end the Ebola epidemic that swept through three West African countries between 2013 and 2016.

More than 11,000 people died in that outbreak.