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Ebola vaccine trial temporarily halted
Injection
A clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine has been temporarily halted after some patients complained of fever and muscle pain.

Volunteers complain of fever and muscle pain

A clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine has been temporarily halted as a precautionary measure after four patients complained of fever and muscle pain, the University of Geneva announced on Thursday (December 11).

In a statement, the hospital said: "All of these volunteers are in good health and are being monitored regularly by the team in charge of the study."

The hospital say that the reactions were expected and the participants were informed about them during the medical consultation which took place before their inclusion in the study.

The trials are set to resume again on 5 January, after checks to ensure that the joint pain symptoms in hands and feet are "benign and transient."

Scientists are racing to develop Ebola vaccines after the world's worst outbreak of the virus has killed more than 6,000 people in West Africa so far this year.

59 volunteers have been vaccinated so far in the human safety trials in Geneva, which began in November. The hospital says that initial results from the trials show that the vaccination is very well tolerated.

Similar studies are also underway in the United States, Canada, Germany and Gabon. 

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

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NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.