Trial halted ... An Ebola vaccine trial in Switzerland has ended early after patients complained of joint pain. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

The trial was stopped a week early in all 59 volunteers “as a measure of precaution”, the University of Geneva Hospital in Switzerland said.

It is a vaccine being tested by NewLink, and recently bought by Merck.

It is one of two vaccines that are currently being tested on humans.

The side-effects in the Geneva trial were experienced by four volunteers.

The hospital said human safety trials would resume on January 5 in up to 15 volunteers after checks had taken place to ensure the joint pain symptoms were “benign and temporary”.

“They are all fine and being monitored regularly by the medical team leading the study,” the hospital said.

Test ... A doctor and a paramedic wearing protective gear are pushing a stretcher with a person during a Ebola transport exercise in Switzerland. Source: AP

There is currently no Ebola vaccine but the World Health Organisation says it expects a vaccine will be available next year.

The Ebola earth toll in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone stands at 6331. More than 17,800 people have been infected, according to the WHO.

Four trials of another Ebola vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline are also underway.

It comes a day after Time magazine named the Ebola fighters as their Person of the Year 2014.

Big year ... Time magazine has named the Ebola fighters as their Person of the Year 2014. Picture: Time. Source: AFP