An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) "can be stopped", the head of the UN health agency said as he landed in Kinshasa.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the World Health Organization did not support travel bans to combat the outbreak because they "do not help much".
The WHO said today that its advisory groups had recommended clinical trials for vaccines and treatments that could be useful against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
No vaccine or treatment exists for the strain behind the deadly Ebola outbreak which is gripping the eastern DRC.
In response to the outbreak, the WHO convened expert and advisory groups which looked at potential vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of Bundibugyo.
The groups went over several products considered promising enough to warrant being prioritised for evaluation in clinical trials involving testing on humans.
They recommended that "all the products identified and considered be used exclusively within clinical trials to generate robust data and ensure safe, ethical, and effective research", the UN health agency said in a statement.
The WHO said it would work closely with the DRC and neighbouring Uganda, which has also seen cases, to facilitate research evaluation of these products.
For treatment, these included two monoclonal antibodies and an antiviral medication; for post-exposure prophylaxis, an oral antiviral; and, for prevention of cases, two candidate vaccines, though neither of them are ready for clinical trials.
"In the meantime, our priority is to stop transmission with tools that we have used for decades of Ebola responses, which include disease surveillance, rapid testing and diagnosis, contact tracing, isolation and care for patients, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials," the WHO said.
Earlier, Dr Tedros issued a lengthy message to the country's population as he travelled to the African nation.
He insisted that "together, we will overcome this outbreak".
According to its latest figures, up to last Sunday, the WHO has recorded 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola deaths in DRC since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, out of more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases.
"I want to be with you in these moments. And I want you to know that you are not alone," Dr Tedros said in his message, posted on social media.
"Ebola is now back. This time, the outbreak is hitting Ituri province the hardest," he said, with more than 90% of cases in the northeastern province, with smaller numbers reported in North Kivu and South Kivu.
"I know how frightening that is, and I know that the people of Ituri are bearing a burden that is not easy to carry," he added.
Ebola-related travel measures ahead of World Cup
The United States, Mexico and Canada have announced aligned public health travel measures for people coming from African regions at the greatest risk from Ebola, they said in a joint statement, as they aim to protect citizens and visitors during the World Cup.
"The health and safety of every person in the region remains our highest priority as we welcome the world to North America," they said in the statement, which did not detail the aligned measures.
Last week, Washington banned non-citizens, who had travelled to DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in recent weeks, from entering the US.
This was extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to green card holders who have been in those countries in the previous 21 days.
Canada has banned residents from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan from entering the country for 90 days.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign nationals who have been in affected areas in recent weeks and do not have symptoms will have to quarantine for 21 days from 30 May, according to a statement from Canada's public health agency.
Earlier this week, Mexico's health secretary David Kershenovich outlined tighter Ebola screening measures at airports, urging the public to avoid travel to DRC and asking arrivals from the country to observe a 21-day quarantine.
