South Sudan to begin Ebola vaccinations as 'very high risk'

The World Health Organisation says Ebola vaccinations soon will begin in South Sudan as the country is at "very high risk" in the current outbreak based in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

A statement says South Sudan's health ministry will begin vaccinating some health workers and other frontline workers in the capital, Juba, on December 19.

No Ebola cases have been reported in South Sudan or any of DRC's neighbours in this outbreak, which is now the second-deadliest in history. Vaccinations began earlier in Uganda.

More than 40 000 people have received the experimental but promising Ebola vaccine in this outbreak. The WHO statement says more than 2 000 doses have been allocated to South Sudan.

DRC's health ministry says this outbreak has almost reached 500 cases: 494, including 446 confirmed with 235 confirmed deaths.