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Liberia - Health Authorities confirm 3 new Ebola Cases, 1 Death - All contacts completed 21-day follow-up - dec 16, 2015

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  • Liberia - Health Authorities confirm 3 new Ebola Cases, 1 Death - All contacts completed 21-day follow-up - dec 16, 2015



    MONROVIA, Liberia — Nov 20, 2015,

    Health authorities are reporting one confirmed Ebola case, a 10-year boy who is currently being attended to at the treatment center on the outskirts of Monrovia, the capital.

    Liberia was first declared Ebola-free on May 9; but there was a resurgence of the disease in late June affecting four people, two of whom died. The country was again declared Ebola-free on Sept. 3 by the World Health Organization.

    Chief Medical Officer and acting head of the Ebola Case Management System, Dr. Francis Kateh, told The Associated Press on Friday the boy, a resident of the eastern Paynesville district of Monrovia, was taken to the Ebola treatment unit late Thursday.

    "Yes, yes, you can say confirmed," he said, when asked if the case has been confirmed to be Ebola.

    Health Authorities: 1 Confirmed Ebola Case in Liberia
    ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
    Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

    ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

  • #2
    FEARS OF DEADLY EBOLA VIRUS REPORTEDLY RESURFACE IN LIBERIA

    : 20 November 2015

    Monrovia - The impact of the deadly Ebola virus which ravaged three neighboring countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea killing thousands of people is still fresh as these countries fight to recover. But Liberia is once again looking to live with the nemesis of the virus as FrontPageAfrica gathered late Thursday that a case has been reported in Monrovia. A source told FPA that a case has been diagnosed but health authorities are treating the situation with care to avoid panic amongst the citizenry and the international community.


    As FrontPageAfrica made further efforts through numerous calls to health authorities including Deputy Minister Tolbert Nyeswah but to no avail, a member of the Liberian Senate, Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence posted on the social media that a kid from the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia has contracted the deadly virus.

    According to the senator, the Ebola afflicted kid lives in Duport Road Paynesville City. “The family lives in Duport road and an entire school will have to be quarantined,” she says. “Thanks to the medical team for being very aggressive, they are moving very fast as of tonight with contact tracing etc to put the situation under control.”

    FrontPageAfrica
    ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
    Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

    ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

    Comment


    • #3
      New case of Ebola found in Liberia -U.N. official

      Source: Reuters - Fri, 20 Nov 2015

      ACCRA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A new case of Ebola has been found in Liberia, a country declared free of the disease on Sept. 3, a senior United Nations official said on Friday.


      The patient is a 10-year-old boy who lived in the Paynesville, a suburb east of the capital Monrovia, said the official, who declined to be named.
      The patient is a 10-year-old boy who lived in the Paynesville
      ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
      Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

      ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

      Comment


      • #4
        Ebola Cases in 3 Family Members Confirmed in Liberia

        By HELENE COOPER and NICK CUMMING-BRUCENOV. 20, 2015



        hat tip @crof for the link



        Comment


        • #5
          20 NOVEMBER 2015

          Liberia: Ebola Resurfaces in Liberia - 2 New Cases Confirmed

          The Daily Observer has gathered that the nation now has at least two confirmed cases of the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD).

          The first of the new cases, which is a 10-year-old boy, Nathan Gbotee, was reported late Thursday evening. It was again reported today by Dr. Francis Kateh, Deputy Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer of Liberia.


          The second case, little Nathan's father, is yet to be announced by health authorities in the country. But a very reliable health source on this new outbreak, confided in our Health Correspondent.

          Our source, who asked not be named, said it is likely that within the next 48 hours, there would be no less than five new cases among the Gbotee family as the little boy's mother and other members are showing "very clear signs and symptoms" of the EVD.

          ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
          Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

          ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

          Comment


          • #6
            Liberia Ebola update: 3 new cases now confirmed

            Nov 20 2015


            Liberia’s Health Ministry on Friday confirmed three Ebola cases months after the country was declared by the World Health Organization as free of Ebola.

            “It all started on Thursday, Nov. 19, when we received a report from one of our reference laboratories that a blood sample from a live patient tested positive for Ebola,” Health Minister Bernice Dahn told a news conference.

            She said the patients and high risk contacts are in care at an Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia.

            The News
            ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
            Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

            ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

            Comment


            • #7
              Ebola mystery: It?s back in Liberia, and officials are stumped about how boy got infected

              November 20

              World Health Organization officials said Friday that they had identified a new case of Ebola in Liberia in a 10-year-old boy and two of his siblings who live close to the country's capital of Monrovia.

              The boy became sick Nov. 14 and sought medical help. His infection with the deadly virus was confirmed over the past 24 hours, but health investigators have not been able to determine how he was exposed. He has no known history of contact with a survivor, travel to an affected area or other factors they typically look for to explain a case.
              The patient is a 10-year-old boy who has no known history of contact with a survivor, travel to an affected area or other factors they typically look for to explain a case.
              ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
              Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

              ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

              Comment


              • #8
                Liberia confirms three new Ebola cases

                Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Bernice Dahn, has announced that the confirmed cases of Ebola have risen to three.

                Dahn told a news conference on Friday at the health ministry in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville, that it all started on Thursday with a 10-year-old boy whose blood sample tested positive of Ebola.


                She noted that the other two cases are relatives of the boy, who were his close high risk contacts.

                Dahn explained that the boy is from a family of six who are high risk contacts and that they are undergoing treatment at an Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia.

                She said all hospital workers, who came in contact with them, are also being monitored and have been notified.


                Meanwhile, Dahn has said her ministry is working with the Montserrado County health team and partners to conduct an investigation to isolate and mitigate the effects of these cases and to quickly respond to any additional cases that may be identified.


                "At this time, we are still gathering information to identify possible contacts to ensure all individuals are notified and if necessary, receive care," Dahn said in a statement.

                ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
                Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

                ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

                Comment


                • #9
                  Liberia monitors over 150 Ebola contacts as virus re-emerges

                  Source: Reuters - Sun, 22 Nov 2015

                  * Cause of three new Ebola cases unknown

                  * Liberia has been declared Ebola-free twice before

                  * Neighbours Guinea, Sierra Leone have no cases

                  MONROVIA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Liberia has placed 153 people under surveillance as it seeks to control a new Ebola outbreak in the capital more than two months after the country was declared free of the virus, health officials said.

                  ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
                  Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

                  ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Epidemiological update: Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa


                    23 Nov 2015

                    Background

                    An epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been ongoing in West Africa since December 2013, mainly affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. On 8 August 2014, WHO declared the Ebola epidemic in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 18 November 2015, WHO has reported 28 598 cases of Ebola virus disease related to the outbreak in West Africa, including 11 299 deaths [1]. The number of cases in the most affected countries peaked in autumn 2014 and has been slowly decreasing since. Liberia was declared Ebola-free by WHO on 3 September 2015 and Sierra Leone on 7 November. Guinea has not reported new cases since 29 October 2015.

                    Current situation in Liberia

                    On 20 November 2015, the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reported three confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease [2]. On 19 November 2015, a reference laboratory in Liberia reported an Ebola positive result in a sample from a patient who presented symptoms such as fever, weakness and bleeding at a hospital in Monrovia on 17 November 2015. The patient was placed in isolation. The Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stated in a press release that four patients and high risk contacts are cared for at an Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia. The hospital where the patient was detected is undergoing decontamination and all health care workers who were in contact with the patient are being monitored.

                    According to media, the first case is a boy with onset of symptoms on 14 November [3,4], who attended school on Monday 16 November, was admitted to a hospital on 17 November and confirmed positive on two samples on the 19 November 2015. Two additional cases have been identified among family members. As of 20 November 2015, four patients (corresponding to at least three confirmed cases) and high risk contacts are hospitalised in an Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia. According to media, 153 contacts presenting with high, medium and low-risk exposure are followed-up [5]. Further response activities and contact tracing are on-going.

                    Assessment

                    Liberia was declared free of Ebola virus transmission in the human population on 3 September 2015. Following which, Liberia entered a 90-day period of EVD heightened surveillance [6]. The confirmation of new EVD cases during heightened surveillance periods after the tail end of outbreaks is not unexpected as stated in the most recent ECDC risk assessments [7,8].

                    The identification of new cases in Liberia highlights the importance of maintaining enhanced surveillance and immediate response capacity for control in the aftermath of the Ebola epidemic in the affected countries.



                    ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
                    Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

                    ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Tue Nov 24, 2015 8:49am GMT

                      Boy dies of Ebola in Liberia, first such fatality for months

                      MONROVIA


                      A 15-year-old boy has died of Ebola in Liberia, the first such fatality for months in a country declared free of the disease in September, chief medical officer Francis Kateh said on Tuesday.


                      Liberia has placed under surveillance 153 people who may have come into contact with Gbotoe. An additional 25 healthcare workers are being monitored, of which 10 are identified as high-risk, Kateh said.

                      Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/24/health-ebola-liberia-idUSL8N13J1V820151124#DyuztgB03hrHg1uS.99
                      A 15-year-old boy has died of Ebola in Liberia, the first such fatality for months in a country declared free of the disease in September, chief medical officer Francis Kateh said on Tuesday.
                      Last edited by Gert van der Hoek; November 24, 2015, 06:22 AM. Reason: Update
                      ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
                      Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

                      ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Here's the explanation for the discrepancy:

                        http://reliefweb.int/report/liberia/...-november-2015

                        On 20 November 2015, the Government of Liberia confirmed three new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Liberia from a family of six members from a suburb in the capital Monrovia. There are no new cases.
                        • A fourteen year old boy was confirmed as having Ebola on 19 November 2015 and was taken to an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Monrovia. He died on 23 November 2015. Two other family members were also confirmed as having Ebola the subsequent day and continue to receive treatment at the ETU.
                        • Three others, also from the same family, are under observation at the ETU. The mother’s blood test has shown a high level of Ebola anti-bodies indicating a recent Ebola recovery. The two month old baby is showing anti-bodies which has been tentatively explained as coming from the mother and not from a recent infection. One child has tested negative.


                        --------

                        (Might the mother be the actual index case for this cluster? - alert)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Puzzling Ebola Death Shows How Little We Know About The Virus

                          Updated November 24, 20157:36 PM ET

                          "The reality is this outbreak's not over," says Dr. William Fischer, speaking about Ebola. "It's just changed."
                          ...
                          WHO officials say the latest cases hadn't been in contact with any known Ebola survivors or done anything else that would have put them at obvious risk of getting the disease.
                          ...
                          The news from Liberia makes the work of doctors like William Fischer even more critical.

                          There are thousands of Ebola survivors in West Africa right now. Many of them are facing various health problems. And they may also be the reservoir that sparks the next major outbreak. Rather than handwringing over what went wrong in the international response to this outbreak, Fischer says, we need to understand how the disease continues to affect the survivors.

                          "We have to pivot. We can't stop and say, 'Oh what should we have done differently in the beginning of the epidemic,' " Fischer says. "We have to say, 'What do we need to do right now.' "

                          One of the obvious things is to get a clear understanding of how survivors can or can't pass the virus to others.

                          Researchers need to figure out how Ebola can — and can't — be spread by survivors. And health workers need to don protective equipment once again.
                          "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
                          -Nelson Mandela

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Liberia: 'Blood Transfusion' - Responsible For New Ebola Out Break


                            Investigation conducted by this paper has established that unsafe blood transfusion is probably responsible for the new Ebola outbreak in Liberia.
                            A 15-year-old-boy was last weekend tested positive for Ebola and later pronounced dead on Tuesday. Dr. Francis Kateh, Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, said the boy's parents have also been tested positive for the virus and were undergoing observation.
                            The Ministry of Health and its partners are yet to disclose the source of the new outbreak, but a weeklong investigation conducted by this paper has established that blood recently transfused into the boy's mother at the Benson Hospital in Paynesville is the probable cause of the new Ebola infection.

                            During a visit to the family's residence on Duport Road, Paynesville, family members disclosed that the boy's mother was admitted at Benson Hospital in Paynesville, after giving birth at home. They disclosed that the woman was given several pounds of blood at the facility.

                            Investigation conducted by this paper has established that unsafe blood transfusion is probably responsible for the new Ebola outbreak in Liberia.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Health | Thu Dec 3, 2015 2:31pm EST

                              Liberia's last two Ebola patients recover, leave hospital

                              MONROVIA

                              Liberia released its last two known Ebola cases from hospital on Thursday as it starts a new countdown to declaring itself free of the virus for a third time, health officials said.
                              ...
                              The two patients released from the Paynesville ETU are the father and younger brother of the presumed index case, a 15-year-old boy named Nathan Gbotoe from a suburb of the capital Monrovia who died from the disease last week.

                              However, new cases could still emerge in Liberia since there are 165 contacts still under quarantine, of whom more than 30 are deemed high risk, health officials told Reuters.

                              Nyenswah say the contacts under surveillance have completed 14 of their obligatory 21-day monitoring - a period that corresponds with the typical incubation period of the virus.
                              ...

                              "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
                              -Nelson Mandela

                              Comment

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