Share

Liberian medic treated with experimental Ebola drug dies

Monrovia - A Liberian doctor treated with experimental American anti-Ebola serum ZMapp has died, the west African nation said on Monday.

Abraham Borbor had been improving but died on Sunday night, Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown told AFP.

"He was showing signs of progress but he finally died. The government regrets this loss and extends its condolences to the bereaved family," Brown said.

Two other health workers receiving the serum are still in treatment, said the minister, adding that there were "signs of hope".

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday there had been a "significant improvement" in the condition of a doctor and nurse being treated with ZMapp in Liberia, and that another doctor was getting better, but still in a serious condition.

Liberia took delivery of ZMapp on 13 August from the United States, which gave the serum to two US citizens who were declared cured last week.

No available cure

The Americans were infected in Liberia along with a Spanish priest who died on 12 August, despite also receiving ZMapp.

The very small available stocks of ZMapp, which has never been through clinical trials on humans, have now been used up, according to the lab that produces it.

The WHO has been discussing the use of unapproved drugs as a way of getting a handle on an outbreak in Africa that has already cost more than 1 400 lives.

There is currently no available cure or vaccine for Ebola, but several drugs are under development.

Tokyo said on Monday it was ready to offer an experimental drug developed by a Japanese company to help stem the global tide of Ebola.

Avigan, which is taken in tablet form, was approved as an anti-influenza drug in Japan in March and is currently in clinical tests in the United States.

A panel of medical experts convened by the WHO earlier this month determined it was "ethical" to provide experimental treatments, given the scale of the epidemic.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Can radio hosts and media personalities be apolitical?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes, impartiality is key for public trust
31% - 469 votes
No, let's be real, we all have inherent biases
69% - 1031 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.29
-0.7%
Rand - Pound
23.87
-1.1%
Rand - Euro
20.58
-1.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.38
-1.1%
Rand - Yen
0.12
-1.2%
Platinum
943.50
+0.0%
Palladium
1,034.50
-0.1%
Gold
2,391.84
+0.0%
Silver
28.68
+0.0%
Brent Crude
87.29
+0.2%
Top 40
67,314
+0.2%
All Share
73,364
+0.1%
Resource 10
63,285
-0.0%
Industrial 25
98,701
+0.3%
Financial 15
15,499
+0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE