WINNIPEG — Canada will spend more than$30 million to help the international fight against Ebola, Health Minister Rona Ambrose said Monday.
Much of that money will go to the national microbiology lab in Winnipeg.
Researchers are developing vaccines to try to stem the spread of the deadly disease that’s killed thousands in West Africa but so far hasn’t appeared in Canada.
“Canada is now committing an additional $23.5 million for further research and development of Ebola medical measures, mainly vaccines and treatments,” Ambrose said Monday.
The additional funds will help speed development of vaccines and testing and clinical trials, officials said.
“That’s what is key, is to try and get those clinical trials done in the real world, so this money will support those clinical trials directly. So it’s a benefit to Canadians and also those countries in the outbreak,” said Dr. Gregory Taylor, Canada’s chief public health officer.
A vaccine developed at Winnipeg’s microbiology lab and recently sent to Geneva could be ready for use by April 2015, officials said..
Canadian scientists overseas are risking their lives to help thousands of people suffering from the deadly disease.
Cindi Corbett, who returned from Sierra Leone on Oct. 7, said their mobile lab houses two decontamination units inside a tent and tests blood samples from 20 to 40 people daily.
“We would bring it back to our flexible film isolator, put it inside and then open it up. and before anything would come out of there, it would be totally killed,” Corbett said.
During her five-week stay in Sierra Leone, she never felt worried about contracting Ebola, she said.
” No fear — no fear. Like I have said before, the lab is the safest place to be for us. You know the virus, you know how to handle yourself out in the community so you take no risk.”
Ambrose also announced an additional $1 million in funding for quarantine officers at Canadian airports, $3 million for provincial preparedness, and $3 million for the World Health Organization.
READ MORE: Canada spending additional $30.5M on Ebola
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