Ebola infects 9 more in DRC as ill traveler sparks response measures - CIDRAP

-

The number of people infected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ebola outbreak grew by nine today, as health officials in the neighboring Haut Uele province took steps to prevent the spread of a disease from a resident who was exposed to the virus in Katwa.

Spike in Katwa cases continues

Of the nine newly confirmed cases announced today by the DRC health ministry, eight are in Katwa, the current hot spot where authorities face complex challenges, including insecurity, community resistance, and the after effects of a response slowdown in late December caused by election-related protests.

The other case is in Beni. Investigations are under way into 187 suspected Ebola cases. Today's developments push the outbreak total to 752 cases, including 698 confirmed and 54 probable cases.

The health ministry also said 4 more people died from their Ebola infections, 3 of them in community settings in Katwa and 1 in the Butembo Ebola treatment center. The new fatalities lift the outbreak's death count to 465.

Infected traveler in Haut Uele province

A health team has been sent to a city of Watsa in neighboring Haut Uele province after a young trader was hospitalized there after his likely exposure in Katwa, the health ministry said in its update today, noting that Oly Ilunga Kalenga, MD, the country's health minister, arrived there yesterday to oversee operations.

Haut Uele province is north of Ituri province and borders South Sudan. So far, Ebola cases in the current outbreak have been confirmed in only two DRC provinces: North Kivu and Ituri.

The man lives in Watsa but travels back and forth between Butembo and his hometown. An investigation into his illness suggests he was exposed to Ebola during a stay in Katwa, which is on the eastern outskirts of Butembo. Watsa is about 300 miles north of Butembo.

Healthcare teams were sent to vaccinate relatives and frontline health workers and to decontaminate the patient's home and the health center where he was treated.

Soldiers among recent deaths in Beni

In a separate development, two soldiers with the DRC's army have died from Ebola in Beni, Agence-France Presse (AFP) reported today, quoting an army spokesman.

The army source told AFP that three other soldiers are under observation and that steps have been taken to prevent illness in DRC troops.

See also:

Jan 30 DRC update

Jan 29 AFP story



http://bit.ly/2MHF7aS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Russian lab containing smallpox and Ebola exploded - Vox.com

-
Image
Russia’s State Research Center of Virology, in the city of Koltsovo in Siberia, has one of the largest collections of dangerous viruses anywhere in the world. During the Cold War, the lab developed biological weapons and defenses against them, and it reportedly stored dangerous strains of smallpox, anthrax, and Ebola among other viruses. So lots of people were concerned when an explosion ripped through the facility on Monday. According to Russian independent media , the laboratory was undergoing repairs when a gas bottle exploded, sparking a 30-square-meter fire that left one worker severely burned. Glass throughout the building was reportedly destroyed in the blast, and the fire reportedly spread through the building’s ventilation system . The lab is one of only two in the world known to still have samples of smallpox, which was eradicated from the wild in 1977. The other is in the United States . Experts say that under certain circumstances, an explosion could lead to the releas
Read more

Azar calls for transparency in Ebola-like death in Tanzania | TheHill - The Hill

-
Image
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Monday called for transparency from Tanzanian officials in the case of a patient who recently died after suffering Ebola-like symptoms, The Associated Press  reported . Azar told reporters in Uganda that he and others are “very concerned” and urged Tanzania’s government to share lab results related to the case. ADVERTISEMENT Congo, which borders Tanzania, is in the midst of the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, with confirmed cases now exceeding 3,000. Azar said efforts were underway to secure Tanzania’s compliance with international health regulations and obligations to the World Health Organization (WHO) “to protect Tanzanians as well as all people in the region," according to the AP. Tanzania’s government said Saturday there is no confirmed case of Ebola inside its borders. According to an internal WHO document obtained by AP, the patient, a 34-year-old woman, died on Sept. 8 and was buried the same day. The
Read more

Ebola: Symptoms, treatment, and causes

-
Image
diabetes global epidemic :: Article Creator 32 Countries With The Highest Rates Of Diabetes In this article, we will be taking a look at the 32 countries with the highest rates of diabetes. If you do not want to learn about the global diabetes market, head straight to the 5 Countries with the Highest Rates of Diabetes. The Global Diabetes Market and Its Implications  The global diabetes market is experiencing significant growth and poses a substantial challenge to public health worldwide. According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, in 2021, approximately 537 million people were suffering from diabetes globally, a number expected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. This increase in prevalence underscores the urgent need for effective measures to address this chronic disease.  In the United States, the diabetes market is substantial, with around 136 million adults diagnosed with diabetes or in a prediabetic condition as reported by t
Read more