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Ebola: WHO declares outbreak in DR Congo

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The world's deadliest Ebola outbreak hit West Africa in 2014-2015. GETTY IMAGES

Image: The world's deadliest Ebola outbreak hit West Africa in 2014-2015. GETTY IMAGES

bbc.com - May 12th 2017

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At least one person has died after contracting the virus in the country's north-east, the WHO says.

The Congolese health ministry had notified the WHO of a "lab-confirmed case" of Ebola, it added on Twitter.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

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who.int - May 12, 2017

On 9 May, WHO was informed of a cluster of undiagnosed illness and deaths including haemorrhagic symptoms in Likati Health Zone, Bas Uele Province in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bordering Central African Republic.

On 11 May, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo informed WHO that of 5 laboratory samples tested, 1 tested positive for Ebola virus at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) laboratory in Kinshasa. Additional laboratory samples are currently being tested.

Since 22 April, nine suspected cases including 3 deaths have been reported. Six cases are currently hospitalized.

“An investigation team led by the Ministry of Health and supported by WHO and partners has deployed and is expected to reach the affected area in the coming days”, says Dr Peter Salama, WHO Executive Director for Emergencies.

WHO and partners are supporting the Ministry of Health in all aspects of the response, including epidemiological investigation, surveillance, logistics and supplies, communications and community engagement.

(CLICK HERE - READ ORIGINAL STATEMENT AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

 

                                                

Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga, Minister of Public Health, announces an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Likati district, Bas-Uélé Province (northern DRC) following confirmation by the National Biomedical Research Institute.

afro.who.int

KINSHASA, 12 May 2017. The Minister of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga, has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of “an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)” in Likati health district (Aketi, Bas-Uélé province), more than 1300 kilometres from Kinshasa in the northern DRC, following confirmation of the disease by the National Biomedical Research Institute (INRB), the national reference laboratory. ‘‘Of the five blood specimens taken from suspected cases and analysed at INRB, one has tested positive for Ebola virus  (Zaïre serotype) using real-time polymerase chain reaction,’’ the Minister of Public Health indicated in a letter to the WHO representative in the DRC, and requested ‘‘support from WHO to strengthen the response to this outbreak’’. Since 22 April 2017, 9 suspected EVD cases have been reported including 3 deaths in Likati health district, i.e. a case-fatality rate of 33.3%, according to an official assessment on 11 May 2017. 

 ‘‘The WHO Country Office in the DRC is working closely with the national and provincial authorities and with the WHO Regional Office for Africa, WHO headquarters in Geneva and all other partners to facilitate deployment of health workers and protective kits in the field  to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and rapidly control the outbreak’’, says Dr Yokouidé Allarangar, WHO representative in the DRC.  Dr Allarangar also announced that Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, would arrive in Kinshasa this weekend to attend a coordination meeting of the national committee at the Ministry of Health to deal with this emergency  and ensure that WHO provides all necessary assistance to the DRC. 

WHO has also drawn up a comprehensive logistics plan to meet  urgent requirements. ‘‘The first teams of epidemiologists, biologists, and experts in the areas of social mobilization, risk communication and community engagement, and also personnel specializing in water, hygiene and sanitation, are scheduled to reach the affected area today or tomorrow via Kisangani’’, the administrative centre of Tshopo (350 kilometres from Buta), Dr Allarangar added.   ‘‘The Likati health district is in a remote area, but contact tracing is essential to contain the outbreak in its focus; the DRC can rely on very experienced health workers for this purpose.’’ Dr Allarangar also appealed to other partners to work with the country  to put in place an appropriately coordinated multisectoral approach. Médecins Sans Frontières, the NGO ALIMA, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Gavi Alliance, the World Food Programme/United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (WFP-UNHAS), and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) are now standing ready to lend their support to the authorities in the DRC.

This confirmed outbreak is centred on the Nambwa health area approximately 130 kilometres from Buta, the administrative centre of Bas-Uélé province, which shares a border with the Central African Republic; it is the eighth EVD outbreak in the DRC since 1976. The most recent recorded outbreak was in August 2014 in Boende region, where the disease was brought under control where it started in Lokolia, now in Tshuapa province.

(CLICK HERE - READ ORIGINAL STATEMENT AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

 

                                              

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti travels to Kinshasa to discuss Ebola outbreak response

who.int

KINSHASA, 13 May 2017 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti today visited Kinshasa (DR Congo) to discuss with national authorities and partners ways to mount a rapid, effective and coherent response in order to stop the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

The visit follows notification by the DRC Government of an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Likati health zone, Bas Uele Province, in the northern part of the country bordering Central African Republic. The Likati health zone is around 1400 kilometers from the capital. As of today, 11 suspected cases including 3 deaths have been reported.

(CLICK HERE - READ COMPLETE STATEMENT)

ALSO SEE STATEMENT HERE - WHO - Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo - 13 May 2017

ALSO SEE STATEMENT HERE - WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti arrives in Kinshasa to discuss response to Ebola outbreak

 

reuters.com - by Aaron Ross - May 14, 2017

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Sunday a second case of Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo after an outbreak this week of 17 other suspected cases.

Health officials are trying to trace 125 people thought to be linked to the cases identified in the remote northeastern province of Bas-Uele province in northeastern Congo near the border with Central African Republic, WHO's Congo spokesman Eugene Kabambi said.

Three people have so far died among the 19 suspected and confirmed cases, he added.

(CLICK HERE - READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

 

 

 

An expanding list of information resources on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo . . .

CLICK HERE - WHO - Africa - Ebola Virus Disease situation reports

CLICK HERE - CDC - Ebola Virus Disease - 2017 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bas Uélé District

CLICK HERE - Tulane researchers help find possible explanation for unparalleled spread of Ebola virus | Tulane News

CLICK HERE - Journal of Virology - Ebola Virus Delta Peptide is a Viroporin

CLICK HERE - CDC - EID - Operational Research during the (West Africa) Ebola Emergency

CLICK HERE - reliefweb - Community health volunteers deployed across the Bas-Uele Province to contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus - 30 May 2017

CLICK HERE - WHO - Africa - New technology allows for rapid diagnosis of Ebola in Democratic Republic of the Congo - May 29, 2017

CLICK HERE - Congo approves use of Ebola vaccination to fight outbreak - May 29, 2017

CLICK HERE - reliefweb - ALIMA - Ebola outbreak in northeastern DRC: We are facing many challenges to deploy medical aid

CLICK HERE - Could pigs be involved in Congo's new Ebola outbreak? - May 26, 2017

CLICK HERE - Congo's Ebola outbreak threatens CAR after violence forces thousands across border

CLICK HERE - CDC - EID - Operational Research during the Ebola Emergency - Ahead of Print - July 2017

CLICK HERE - Study: Most Effective Measures Identified for Containing Ebola

CLICK HERE - STUDY - PNAS - Essential information: Uncertainty and optimal control of Ebola outbreaks

CLICK HERE - Ebola Virus Disease - Democratic Republic of the Congo: External Situation Report 5 (19 May 2017)
On 19 May 2017, three new EVD cases were reported, including one probable case in Ngayi and two suspected cases in a new health area called Ngabatala.

CLICK HERE - Suspected Ebola cases in Congo rise to 29 - WHO - 19 May 2017

CLICK HERE - Researchers discover first human antibodies that work against all ebolaviruses

CLICK HERE - CIDRAP - As DRC Ebola cases grow, expert sees parallels to Guinea - May 17, 2017

CLICK HERE - WHO - Ebola Virus Disease - Democratic Republic of the Congo: External Situation Report 2 (16 May 2017)

CLICK HERE - New cases of Ebola confirmed in DRC - "The estimated number of people that could be infected is currently 400" - 16 May 2017

CLICK HERE - WHO prepares experimental Ebola vaccine for possible first use in Democratic Republic of Congo - 16 May 2017

CLICK HERE - Special Edition: Democratic Republic of Congo - Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak - External Situation Report 1 - 15 May 2017

CLICK HERE - Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention activates the Emergency Operational Centre to monitor the Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo Team of experts on standby for deployment to respond to the emergency - 14 May 2017

CLICK HERE - Gavi stands ready to support the DR Congo in its fight against Ebola - Gavi’s work with Merck means there are 300,000 doses of Ebola vaccine available if needed to stop this outbreak becoming a pandemic - 12 May 2017

CLICK HERE - MSF - DRC: Team dispatched following Ebola confirmation - 12 May 2017

CLICK HERE - Updated: Will vaccine help curb new Ebola outbreak in the DRC?

 

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