--- title: Ebola: Potential Vaccine Shows Promise but Spread Worsening description: Promising trials of a potential vaccine have been carried out on monkeys, but the Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues to expand rapidly. canonical: https://time.com/3296659/ebola-vaccine-monkeys-who-disease-usaid-msf-cdc-rick-sacra/ author: Per Liljas article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-09-08T07:28:14.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:45.171Z article:section: Health og:title: Half the People With Ebola Got It in the Past Month og:description: With the epidemic accelerating to alarming levels, the race is on for a vaccine og:url: https://time.com/3296659/ebola-vaccine-monkeys-who-disease-usaid-msf-cdc-rick-sacra/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt173cd6ff17ee584b/6986a2463617608b4190dbcf/rtr44vl5.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3500 og:image:height: 1969 og:image:alt: Participants arrive at the opening of a consultation of international experts on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines in Geneva og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Half the People With Ebola Got It in the Past Month twitter:description: With the epidemic accelerating to alarming levels, the race is on for a vaccine twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt173cd6ff17ee584b/6986a2463617608b4190dbcf/rtr44vl5.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Potential Vaccine Shows Some Promise, but the Spread of Ebola Is Accelerating > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=14d11448-8a5f-4528-adae-5d4b83a30d7e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola [Watch (HLS stream): Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KlA2XSgt.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2014-08-26. While the Ebola virus remains contained to West Africa, deadly fear and ignorance about the illness have spread worldwide._ by [Per Liljas](https://time.com/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Sep 8, 2014 7:28 AM UTC  Participants arrive at the opening of a consultation of international experts on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines in Geneva September 4, 2014. Participants arrive at the opening of a consultation of international experts on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines in Geneva September 4, 2014. Denis Balibouse / Reuters—REUTERS by [Per Liljas](https://time.com/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Sep 8, 2014 7:28 AM UTC A [study](http://news.yahoo.com/experimental-ebola-vaccine-protects-monkeys-10-months-170719536--finance.html), published Sunday in _Nature Medicine_, details promising results of a possible Ebola vaccine following trials carried out on monkeys. The animals [received](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nebraska-doctors-say-ebola-patient-making-progress) “complete short-term and partial long-term protection” from a single shot, and “durable” immunity after being given booster shots two months later, researchers said. Human trials will begin this week, and assessments of its efficacy and safety are expected by early November. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Friday that it would attempt to fast-track the use of [experimental drugs](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/monkey-study-ebola-vaccine-works-needs-booster) to combat a West African epidemic now virtually out of control. About half of the estimated 4,000 people who have contracted Ebola since the outbreak began in March have been [infected](http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/09/05/we%5Fcould%5Fhave%5Fstopped%5Fthis%5Febola%5Fvirus%5Fworld%5Fhealth%5Forganization?utm%5Fcontent=buffera73ed&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fsource=twitter.com&utm%5Fcampaign=buffer) over the past month. The real number of infected is likely much higher, since that figure only accounts for lab-confirmed cases. If the accelerated speed of the spread continues, WHO’s projection of 20,000 cases by October could well be surpassed. New cases have been [confirmed](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/opinion/sunday/from-bad-to-worse-with-ebola.html?%5Fr=0) in Nigeria and Senegal, and a grave lack of hospital beds in Liberia is sending scores of suspected victims back to their homes, severely aggravating the risk of death and additional contagion. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) [announced](http://online.wsj.com/articles/deadly-disappointment-awaits-at-ebola-clinics-due-to-lack-of-space-1410137713) Thursday it would build 10 Ebola centers with 100 beds each. The European Union also said Friday that it would pledge $181.3 million to the worst-hit countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea — but huge problems remain. “We could get a bunch of tents and beds in here in no time,” Jeremy Konyndyk, director of USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, [told](http://online.wsj.com/articles/deadly-disappointment-awaits-at-ebola-clinics-due-to-lack-of-space-1410137713) the _Wall Street_ _Journal._ “The hard part is who staffs those beds.” WHO calculates that it takes between 200 and 250 health workers to care for 80 Ebola patients. But the process of attracting personnel to assist in the battle has proved to be difficult. For now, many infected people unable to receive hospital care are relying on home treatment kits provided by USAID. Doctors Without Borders is urgently looking to hire additional workers, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is initiating a recruitment and training program. If an American doctor who is currently being treated for Ebola continues to make [progress](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nebraska-doctors-say-ebola-patient-making-progress), it is possible that recruitment efforts will be given a slight boost. However, the recovery of Dr. Rick Sacra is by no means certain. The 51-year-old obstetrician and experienced missionary worker was infected on assignment in Liberia, and arrived at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha on Friday. He is weak, but in a stable condition, and is showing encouraging signs to staff. “He’s made a few jokes,” Dr. Phil Smith, one of the doctors tending to Sacra, [told](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nebraska-doctors-say-ebola-patient-making-progress) AP on Sunday. “In my experience, that’s a good sign. But it’s too early to say he has turned a corner.” His wife issued a statement Saturday asking the world to continue to focus on the wider outbreak and not just her husband’s illness. ## Transcript Between August 19th and August 20th, WHO reported 142 new cases of Ebola and 77 new deaths. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo claims that two people died from what is believed to be a different strain of the virus over the weekend. While Ebola may be lethal, fear and ignorance are the more silent. Killers and the kind outbreak in West Africa. [ FOREIGN ] Some airlines in shipping companies have stopped service to West Africa all together causing supply shortages and worsening conditions in all effected areas. The government of Seira Leon, Liberia, and Geanie have implemented quarantines on major cities with infected residence further isolating. Isolating the victims from help. [ INAUDIBLE ] I beg you please. You [ INAUDIBLE ] Patients can't get to the doctors and many doctors aren't going to the patients. Fear of infection by health workers who live abroad and the limited expertise of local practitioners has limited the number of doctors willing and able to treat [ MUSIC ] There's some good news however, both American patients being treated for Ebola were released on August 21st fully recovered from the disease. I'm thrilled to be alive, to be well, and to be reunited with my family. Despite scares in Germany, the U. S ., Saudi Arabia, Spain ,. France, U. K ., and Thailand. No cases have been confirmed outside of Nigeria, Sierra Leon, Guinea and Liberia. And while the rest of the world maybe thinking about closing off their borders, they are opening up their wallets. China has donated $ 4. 9 million. The U. K. $ 8 million. The E. U. and the U. S. are in for 15. 8 million each. The African Development. [ INAUDIBLE ] Bank is contributing a whopping 56 million dollars. The W. H. 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