Walikale: 26 dead in three months from an unknown disease

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Re: Walikale: 26 dead in three months from an unknown disease

The war is the reason that it took three months to raise this alarm. What is not clear from the article (and we only have the one article on this outbreak) is the denominator: how many cases are there? If there are only 40-50 cases, then this could be an Ebola or Marburg outbreak. If there are hundreds, or even thousands of cases, then the pathogens discussed in the last posting are more relevant.

Of note is that fever has not yet been mentioned as a symptom.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Walikale: 26 dead in three months from an unknown disease

There is a war going on in this area: yesterday a report stating 7 were killed and 3 villages burnt down.

French:

http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=24748

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Re: Walikale: 26 dead in three months from an unknown disease

http://eafr.promedmail.org/

ProMED-EAFR:East Africa

View printable version
Published Date
2009-09-18 01:02:12
Subject
PRO/EAFR> Undiagnosed diarrheal illness - DR Congo: (North Kivu),
Archive Number
20090918.202370
Full Text
UNDIAGNOSED DIARRHEAL ILLNESS - DR CONGO: (NORTH KIVU), FATAL
***********************************************
Date: 16 Sep 2009
Source: Radio Okapi [in French, trans. JW, edited]

http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=24717

A mysterious illness has struck the Walikale territory for the last 3
months. The symptoms of this disease include diarrhea and vomiting.
The tribal chief Lukong Birunga of Waloa Yungu told Radiookapi.net
that the illness 1st manifested in his group Waloa Yungu before
reaching 5 localities of North Kivu province, namely Buhimba, Kimuwa,
Nando, Mikweti, Kahilenge-Mitwa. The same source said that during 3
months, 26 deaths were recorded including the case on Monday [14 Sep 2009].

Also according to the same source, patients have no access to medical
care, because there is no functional health facility on site. Health
officials in Goma already have the information, says the source, but
cannot go there to intervene because of the bad security situation.
The traditional authority says that the Waloa Yungu group in the
territory of Walikale in North Kivu is so far experiencing armed
groups and foreign forces who are the law there.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[The report highlights an evolving fatal diarrheal illness that is
escalating due to absence of any form of control interventions in the
affected areas. The cases are possibly due to an outbreak of cholera
or any of the other enteric pathogens capable of causing fatal acute
diarrhoea, like salmonella, shigella, or pathogenic _E. coli_. It
will be appreciated if additional information is provided on the
exact cause of the current outbreak.

North Kivu can be located on the interactive HealthMap/ProMED map of
DR Congo at: http://healthmap.org/r/00Pl. - Mod.JFW]

[see also:
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery: Worldwide 20090914.202068
Cholera - Ethiopia (02): Addis Ababa, susp., RFI 20090909.201978
Cholera - Ethiopia: Addis Ababa, susp., RFI 20090906.201904
Cholera - Zimbabwe (02): (Manicaland) 20090827.201489
Cholera update: WHO global surveillance summary 2008 20090805.201108
Cholera - DR Congo: (N. & S. Kivu) 20090726.200887
Cholera - Somalia: (Mogadishu) 20090726.200886
Cholera - Zimbabwe: (Mashonaland E. Prov) 20090725.200878
Cholera - Uganda (02): (Busia) RFI 20090724.200847
Cholera - Sudan: (N. Bahr-al-Ghazal, Aweil), conf 20090717.200637
Cholera - Uganda: (Busia) susp 20090715.200580
Cholera - Uganda: (Kasese), ex DR Congo 20090712.200530


[For additional background information on cholera, diarrhea and
dysentery available from the general ProMED-mail list, the postings
below can be found at: < http://www.promedmail.org >.

Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (22) 20090913.3223
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (21) 20090819.2939
Cholera, non-O1 - Netherlands ex Spain (02): (CN) 20090818.2931
Cholera, non-O1 - Netherlands ex Spain (CN) 20090803.2725
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (20) 20090724.2616
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (19) 20090720.2575
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (18) 20090709.2469
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (17) 20090429.1620
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (16) 20090310.0991
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (15) 20090212.0632
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (14) 20090210.0604
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (13) 20090204.0491
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (12) 20090203.0474
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (11) 20090128.0393
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (10) 20090126.0355
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (09) 20090122.0275
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (08) 20090120.0245
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (07) 20090116.0182
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (06) 20090113.0140
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (05) 20090112.0124
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2009 (04) 20090110.0107]
.................................................. ......mpp/jw/be/jfw/msp

_______________________________________________
ProMED-EAFR mailing list
ProMED-EAFR@promedmail.org

http://eafr.promedmail.org/

From promed-eafr-bounces@promedmail.org Fri Sep 18

[alert]

Re: Walikale: 26 dead in three months from an unknown disease

And ProMed has posted the above article with the following comment. To me, given the location and the reported symptoms, a viral hemorrhagic fever is certainly possible, as well.

http://promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:903841171724133::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1030,79255

A rapid investigation of this disease would be necessary to place us on this situation. But the symptoms described in Article could think of cholera or a possible poisoning by exposure to an environmental toxin. Dans tous les cas une confirmation par une ?quipe d'experts est indispensable, et ProMED-mail souhaiterai avoir connaissance des r?sultats d'une telle investigation. La carte interactive du HealthMap/ProMED-mail de la R?publique d?mocratique du Congo est disponible ? < http://healthmap.org/r/00Pp >. In all cases confirmed by a team of experts is essential, and ProMED-mail would like to have knowledge of the results of such investigation. The interactive map of HealthMap / ProMED-mail from the Democratic Republic of Congo is available at <http : / / healthmap.org/r/00Pp>. - Mod.SC] ...................................mpp/mj/sc *################################################# #########* ********************* ProMED-mail fait son maximum pour verifier les donnees en ligne, cependant la veracite et l'integralite des informations donnees, de meme que toutes les declarations et opinions basees sur ces dernieres ne sont pas garanties. Le lecteur assume tout risque en utilisant les renseignements affiches ou archives par ProMED-mail. - Mod.SC] ...................................mpp / mj / sc *#

[alert]

http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=24717

Walikale: 26 dead in 3 months after an unknown disease
Nord Kivu | Sant? | Mercredi 16 Septembre 2009 ? 10:28:04 North Kivu | Health | Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 10:28:04



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Une maladie inconnue frappe le territoire de Walikale depuis trois mois. A mysterious illness strikes the Walikale territory for three months. Les sympt?mes de cette maladie sont la diarrh?e et les vomissements. The symptoms of this disease are diarrhea and vomiting. Le chef coutumier Lukonge Birunga 4 de Waloa Yungu a indiqu? ? radiookapi.net que cette maladie s'est d'abord manifest?e dans son groupement de Waloa Yungu, avant d'atteidre cinq localit?s de ce territoire de la province du Nord Kivu, ? savoir Buhimba, Kimuwa, Nando, Mikweti, Kahilenge-Mitwa. The tribal chief Lukong Birunga 4 Walo Yungu radiookapi.net told that the disease was first manifested in his group Walo Yungu before atteidre five localities of the territory of North Kivu province, namely Buhimba, Kimuwa, Nando, Mikweti, Kahilenge-Mitwa. La m?me source souligne que depuis trois mois, 26 morts sont enregistr?s dont le dernier cas date de lundi. The same source said that since three months, 26 deaths were recorded, the last case until Monday. Toujours selon la m?me source, les malades n'ont pas acc?s aux soins m?dicaux, car, il n'existe aucune structure sanitaire fonctionnelle sur place. According to the same source, the patients have no access to medical care because there is no functional health facility on site. Les responsables sanitaires ? Goma sont d?j? inform?s, pr?cise la source, mais ne peuvent pas se d?placer pour intervenir ? cause de l'ins?curit?. Health officials in Goma have been informed, said the source, but can not move to intervene because of insecurity.
L' autorit? traditiionnelle rappelle que le groupement de Waloa Yungu dans le territoire de Walikale au Nord Kivu est jusqu'? ce jour en proie des groupes arm?s et forces ?trang?res qui y font la loi. The authority traditiionnelle recalls that the group Walo Yungu in the territory of Walikale in North Kivu has so far plagued by armed groups and foreign forces who are the law.


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