Congo - Ebola - 183 deaths + 187 suspected cases

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

To limit the damage around the epidemic of Ebola: Experts of CDC Atlanta already in Mweka
[0 comments]

have not equipped CDC Atlanta remains for Wednesday on the spot with Mweka in the Province of Kasai Occidental or currently prevails the epidemic of Ebola which already did many deaths.
It is the Minister for the Public health which announced the news with the press on its return Wednesday of Kananga. Everywhere where it was Dr. Victor Makwenge worked for the assumption of responsibility of all the people reached. With the provincial authority and the experts, the minister carried out an evaluation on the technical level of the provided efforts and which remain to be deployed,
Wednesday 3 new cases had been announced. The centers of insulation operation to full output, which is good sign, said the minister who nevertheless regretted the insufficiency of the resources installation until now. Indeed, in addition to doctors, one should attend the arrival of the physicists, laboratory assistants, humanitarians etc but that is made wait. On social the mobilization plan, Victor Makwenge noted that it was still timid whereas normally it should relate to everyone: leaders political, religious, usual chiefs when it is known especially that the first case concerned a usual chief who was deceased.
The government will be organized to convey reinforcements in drugs and other small equipment including various other inputs. The minister insisted on the compliance with the first rules of hygiene by preventing greeting people that one knows with the hands. Second measure to be taken as of the appearance of the suspect cases, it is the insulation of the people contaminated and their orientation towards the centers of insulation which function for the moment in Mueka primarily. Very soon a center will be opened on the level of Kananga.
The minister made a point of stressing that any person who makes the diarrhoea is not necessarily reached a fever of Ebola. Where the risks are obvious, it is advised to close the classes and to return the children to the house.
Information of size: the Minister said that one should not forget only all the cases which one diagnosed by CDC Atlanta come primarily from Kapungu.
Well before the men are not struck, the epidemic had started by attacking the animals, the birds.
The scientists must avoid panicking, not to create a psychosis within the population. It insisted that each one and all learn how not to touch a dead-man.
On 11 samples which we sent, 4 were declared positive. All that was transmitted to Franceville and CDC Atlanta was positive, revealed the minister, According to figures' collected in the region, one spoke about 372 cases which caused 166 deaths.
The minister greeted the contribution of the UNICEF whose personnel in deployment harnesses itself to distribute and to manufacture very vitaminized biscuits.
Speaking about other parasites in the region, the explained minister that cases of fever are detected so much with regard to the typhoid one or the diarrhoea of amoebic origin. From where it refused not to advance precise figures and exact on the extent of the epidemic.
The chigeurose was confirmed by the INRB here with Kinshasa by Professor Muyembe. The priority for the moment it is all to implement to stop the extension. All measurements which were taken so far obey a logic, to prevent that the epidemic does not reach Kikwit, which is not very far from Mweka.
The RD Congo, which is already with its 4? experiment on the matter, succeeded in being organized as regards mobilization. This has be facilitated with last case which endeuill? the Congolese people with the rail crash of Kakenge, which is not very far from Mweka, in the same province of Kasai Occidental.

http://www.laprosperiteonline.net/affichage_article.php?id=2778&rubrique=Nation

Prosperity
15-09-2007 - 12:55: 53

[Blue]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

To limit the damage around the epidemic of Ebola: Experts of CDC Atlanta already in Mweka
[0 comments]

Information of size: the Minister said that one should not forget only all the cases which one diagnosed by CDC Atlanta come primarily from Kapungu.
Well before the men are not struck, the epidemic had started by attacking the animals, the birds.

I know that Ebola can infect animals, but since when does it infect birds?
I am having some trouble with this information. Is Ebola not a mammalian
disease or has it jumped species to birds now?

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

?That the tradi-experts reserve themselves vis-a-vis the patients presenting the symptoms of Ebola?

Western Kasa? | September 14, 2007 with 12:30: 54

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It is the message of the president of the Association of the tradi-experts during the held meeting this Friday with its members. The abbot Jacques-Arthur Kabasele known as to have noted that the majority of the patients reached of the disease resort to their care and others direct towards the healers, brings back radiookapi.net

The abbot Kabasele, president of the Association of the tradi-experts of the Kasa?-Westerner, adds however that the tradi-experts will imply themselves in the sensitizing of the population. ?I asked them to adopt an attitude of reserve. I.e., not to claim to want to immediately approach the cases of health which are characterized by the cephalgias, the vomiting, the fever, and even the diarrhoea sanguinolente because, unfortunately, according to the investigation, the tradi-experts are not yet in possession of the products to face the crisis of Ebola. In Kasa?, one forever known this crisis. One spoke about it in Kikwit, in Bandundu. But here, it would be said that it is the first time that this disease appears. Then, how one can claim to have the remedy? I asked them to make the social mobilization and to immediately transmit the news to the qualified personnel. ? http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl...kapi%26hl%3Den

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Kananga: the Red Cross recruits volunteers to fight against the Ebola viruses and shigella (R.Okapi)
The crawly on this site says the red Cross is looking for volunteers to go to the outbreak area. http://www.monuc.org/AllNews.aspx?lang=fr&TypeID=4

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Dogs can be asymptomatic with Ebloa
Some human cases in the recent outbreak in the Gabon/Republic of Congo region did not have a documented source of exposure to Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Similarly, 14 (4.9%) of the 284 cases in the 1976 Sudan outbreak (6) and 55 (17.4%) of the 316 cases during the 1995 outbreak in Kikwit (7), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, former Zaire), had no direct physical contact with an infected person or known infected carcass. These observations point to other routes of transmission (e.g., human-human respiratory tract infection through droplets and aerosols) or may suggest that other, unidentified animal sources may be involved in Ebola virus transmission to humans.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks occurred in villages where people keep domestic animals, including dogs. The dogs are not fed and have to scavenge for their food. They eat small dead animals found near the villages and also internal organs of wild animals hunted and slaughtered by villagers. Some dogs are also used for hunting in the dense forested area. Although canine infection by Ebola virus has never been documented, domestic dogs' behavior and diet place them at risk. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol11no03/04-0981.htm

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

.. Probably should'nt do that...

Pets slaughtered in meat-starved Zim<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="468"><tbody><tr height="12"><td></td></tr><tr><td class="standardtext" align="left" valign="top" width="468">Angus Shaw | Harare, Zimbabwe</td><td width="1"></td></tr><tr height="3"><td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="468"></td></tr><tr height="2"><td colspan="2" bgcolor="#000000" width="468"></td></tr><tr height="3"><td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="468"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="standardtextsmall" align="right" valign="top" width="468">14 September 2007 01:29</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pets are being slaughtered for meat in shortage-stricken Zimbabwe and record numbers of animals have been surrendered to shelters or abandoned by owners no longer able to feed them, according to animal welfare groups.

More here...

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=319311&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/

possible vector for ebola?

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Thanks, Niko!After a lotta searching i found that the WHO page for ebola has revised this page somewhere. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
Fact sheet N?103
Provisional revision: September 2007

Ebola haemorrhagic fever

Ebola virus, Filoviridae family, is comprised of four distinct subtypes: Za?re, Sudan, C?te d?Ivoire and Reston. Three subtypes, occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Sudan and C?te d?Ivoire, have been identified as causing illness... also a story of gov't ineptness involving recent disasters in the outbreak area.There is a train that travell through the quarintine area ,that cannot get through,and will bring food shortages in another town down the line.... Ebola virus
Friday 14/09/2007

Elected officials of Western Kasa? challenged

At least 170 died, it is the last assessment of the victims of the Ebola virus which has just struck the province of Kasai Occidental. Even if the Minister for the Public health rectifies the shooting, by indicating that all the deaths would not be due to the epidemic.


But a thing is certain, Kasa? Occidental continuous to cry its sons and girls. With less than two months, two rail crashes, a shipwreck, an epidemic mortal, the province east cannot be not with its last tragedy. More than 500 dead, for the two cases pre cities, according to semi-official sources and 300 according to the government.

That it is of the rail crash of Kakenge or the Ebola virus, the implication of the elected officials is timid. And that worries more than one national of this province. Apart from the speeches, which in addition, do not change anything with the situation elected officials, one observed some gestures isolated from the deputies and senators, such as Kande Mupompa, Kalamba Wafuana, to quote only those there.

And yet, the national opinion hoped to see all the elected officials brought together to bring an assistance consistent to their voters. But alas, the hopes of the ones and others were reduced to illusions.

No action of great scale, neither of with dimensions of associations, one can quote while passing Large Kasa? nor of the elected officials.

Approached on this subject, a professor of the UNIKIN originating in Kasa?, affirms that this indifference on behalf of the politicians of its province, does not astonish it. He notes that it is the behavior of the Congolese politicians.

Consequently, the voters must draw from the lessons and behave consequently with the next legislature.

He is never late to make good, known as one, the victims and their families are still in the need and all the gestures posed towards them, are always welcome. A widow, in stay with Kinshasa, which learned death from its old junior by 5ans with Mweka, is very furious when it thinks of the crisis which shook this territory at the time of the legislative elections and the mobilization which was followed from there to restore peace.

?Or Boshab, Bavon and Jacob passed?? Question yourself it. I wanted to see them well with work during this moment of misfortune which strikes their electoral stronghold ?, regrets it. They are numerous, Kasa?ens which challenge, like this lady, the deputies of this province.

On ground, several partners mobilize themselves to bring an assistance to the victims. In fact in particular the case of the Doctors without Borders reinforced its team on ground, to stop the chain of contamination.

Until there, there N is neither vaccine, nor drug, to look after and ?radiquer this epidemic.

The medical personnel limits itself to look after the symptoms, and one is unaware of to when the studies for a vaccine, will succeed.

The doctors advise with everyone scrupulously to comply with the rules of hygiene, i.e., not to touch with the corpses, to wash the hands with each time one is in liaison with third people, drinking of water pulp, etc

Forty with Mweka, food crisis with Kananga

The railway way remains the only great means of transport which feed the town of Kananga, the train which comes from Ilebo must pass obligatorily by Mweka, territory quarantined.

This measurement which is saving for the populations most touched by the virus, is likely to become a martyrdom for Kanangais.

If the train goods is blocked during all the time which this epidemic will last, the town of Kananga is likely to undergo a food crisis without precedent. Because, it is necessary to acknowledge that Mweka and its surroundings are the large providers of but and manioc at the city.

If this section is closed, it will be difficult to reach these food products which constitute basic food for the province.

The rail crash of Kakenge was an eloquent example of this possible crisis which is likely to be acuter than that intervened after the rail crash. http://www.lobservateur.cd/index.php...7605&Itemid=34

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

<TABLE id=texttable><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=almost_half_cell>Mweka: installation of a mobile laboratory of detection of the Ebola virus
Western Kasa? | September 16, 2007 with 09:52: 45


A team of the ?Center for diseases control and prevention? (CDC) arrived this Saturday in the province. The objective of the American experts is to make a fast evaluation of the epidemic of Ebola in order to install a mobile laboratory of detection of this virus with Mweka and in the various centers of insulation, radiookapi.net specifies



The 4 experts of the CDC went in the zone of health of Lwebo, Mweka and Kananga, before turning over to Kinshasa. According to Doctor Jean Constantin Kanowa, doctor provincial inspector, another team provided with fast test of the virus is waited this Sunday. According to the doctor, this equipment will be able to finally differentiate the patients reached from the virus of the other suspect cases. Dr. Kanowa adds that since the beginning of alarm, and following the social mobilization, of many suspect cases are brought back to him daily.

The national ministry of health, in collaboration with WHO, initiated a staff training looking after for the assumption of responsibility of the patients reached of Ebola. This formation stresses the use of the protection equipements like on the taking away, the conservation and the transport of the samples. A team of the specialists in the ministry for health went Saturday to Kapumbu to reinforce the looking after team.
</TD></TR><TR><TD id=submitcell><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD id=selectcell></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=14556</TD><TD></TD><TD align=right></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Team of Winnipeg scientists, portable lab heading to Congo to battle Ebola


<!-- END HEADLINE --><!-- BEGIN STORY BODY -->1 hour, 22 minutes ago

By Helen Branswell
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT language=javascript>if(window.yzq_d==null)window.y zq_d=new Object();window.yzq_d['EbkcrM6.IrA-']='&U=13btmnlh9&#37;2fN%3dEbkcrM6.IrA-%2fC%3d578398.10231107.11897711.1559897%2fD%3dLREC %2fB%3d4320985';</SCRIPT>(CP) - Scientists from Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg will depart for the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, joining an international effort to contain an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the province of Kasai Occidental.

Three Canadian scientists will be based in Luebo in the affected area and approximately 10 kilometres north of Kampungu, where Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) have established their base, Kelly Keith, a spokesperson for the Winnipeg laboratory, confirmed Sunday.

Keith said the Canadian team will be comprised of Dr. Heinz Feldmann, laboratory technician Allen Grolla and Dr. Gary Kobinger. Feldmann is an expert on viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and the related Marburg virus; Feldmann and Grolla spent weeks in Angola in 2005 helping to contain a large Marburg outbreak there.

The three will bring a small mobile laboratory developed by staff of the National Microbiology Laboratory which can operate with limited resources. They will serve as part of a joint team made up of experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Public Health Agency of Canada. (The Winnipeg lab is part of the agency.)

Lab facilities are critical in such circumstances to identify who is actually suffering from Ebola - and therefore must be treated in strict isolation - and who has one of myriad other conditions which share the same vague symptoms as hemorrhagic fevers at the onset of illness.

The fact that the mobile lab can be run in primitive settings should come in handy on this outbreak, which is occurring in a part of the country - formerly known as Zaire - where even short distances are tortuous to travel because of poor roads. According to Medecins Sans Frontieres, it takes up to three days to travel the 250 kilometres between the provincial capital, Kananga, and the outbreak zone.

Because of that, the situation on the ground remains unclear. News reports suggest nearly 400 people have been ill and more than 160 have died in an outbreak that may date back to April.

But a number of those cases are unlikely to have been Ebola, given the reported symptoms and the fact that the Ebola-Zaire species of the virus typically kills between 80 and 90 per cent of people who become infected.

Testing in Atlanta has confirmed that the responsible virus is Ebola-Zaire, Dr. Pierre Rollin, a hemorrhagic fevers expert from the CDC, said in an interview.

In fact, samples sent to Atlanta confirmed some cases of Ebola but also some cases of shigellosis, a bacterial disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract. The possibility of concurrent cholera or typhoid outbreaks has also been raised.

"Certainly the health conditions are not very good in this area and they can have a lot of things going together," Rollin noted.

Rollin was part of the team that battled the 1995 Ebola outbreak in Kitwit, also in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was one of the largest Ebola outbreaks on record, with 315 cases and 250 deaths.

He recalled the difficulties posed by the lack of local resources.

"I remember during Kitwit it was a nightmare. There was no dry ice for example for keeping the specimens cold. . . . And we had to send it from either Atlanta or South Africa," Rollin said.

"So we were sending a huge box of dry ice from Atlanta. It arrived there and with whatever was left we were packing the specimens and sending them back to Atlanta." http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/0...ebola_canada_1

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

<TABLE id=texttable><TBODY><TR><TD id=autotrans style="VISIBILITY: visible"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD id=sourcecell></TD><TD id=gap> </TD><TD class=almost_half_cell>Lwebo: Ebola, three suspect cases not yet confirmed
Western Kasa? | September 17, 2007 with 14:42: 12


Three isolated patients presenting feverish acute gastro-enteritis are not inevitably reached a fever of Ebola. It is the made conclusion Saturday by a joint delegation government-WHO at the hospital of reference of Lwebo, to 250 kilometers of Kananga, brings back radiookapi.net

According to Doctor C?l?stin Mamba, directing doctor of this hospital, delegation government-WHO brought the true definition of the cases of Ebola. The exit of the visit of three patients who presented feverish acute gastro-enteritis, the delegation showed that these patients did not answer exactly the definition. Always according to the doctor, the delegation proposed to him to observe these patients during three days in order to realize of their evolution. Doctor Mamba specified that its institution will be from now on able to carry out a precise diagnosis with this new definition of the fever of Ebola. http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=14565
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[hawkeye]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Very interesting.

...the delegation showed that these patients did not answer exactly the definition. Always according to the doctor, the delegation proposed to him to observe these patients during three days in order to realize of their evolution. Doctor Mamba specified that its institution will be from now on able to carry out a precise diagnosis with this new definition of the fever of Ebola. http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=14565[/B]

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

From a larger war story..<snip>..In related developments, DR Congo is currently facing a crisis in dealing with the deadly Ebola virus which has broken out in the South Eastern Region of Kasai and by Thursday, more than 160 people had been killed by the epidemic.
For its part, the Rwandan government has issued a warning to residents near the boarder with DR Congo alerting The Aids Research and Treatment Centre-TRAC to set up 'mechanism' to prevent the highly infectious disease from spreading to Rwanda.
Dr Innocent Nyaruhiriha, Minister in charge of Infectious Diseases however did not explain what mechanisms TRAC would set up. http://allafrica.com/stories/200709170086.html

[Treyfish]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Spreading In spite of medical measurements, Ebola would have crossed Kasa? Oriental

SETTING IN LINE September 16, 2007 | the SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL N? 922.
It is thus Ebola. The virus which remained still not identified in the province of Kasa? Occidental is from now on known. Samples of the saddles and blood sent of the INRB - national Institute of biomedical research - for analyses adapted abroad, in particular in the United States (University of Atlanta) and in Gabon at the biological laboratory of Franceville gave a report on the hemorrhagic fever due to the terrible virus which would have already passed from Kasa? Occidental to Kasa? Oriental.

During this time, the virus would have crossed Kasa? Occidental for Kasa? Oriental, in particular in the town of Mweneditu where one announces suspect cases related to the hemorrhagic fever, a 12 year old child in is deceased. The Eastern part of Kasa? is victim of the shifts in population.

This epidemic constitutes a real threat for the public health of the populations of this province of the center of the country. In R-cd. where all the medical system is to be remade, if this epidemic is not quickly controlled, the risks of propagation on a large scale towards other provinces of the country are very real.

ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY.
This virus which is transmitted by direct contact with blood, secretions, the bodies or of the biological liquids of the infected subjects requires a strong mobilization.

WHO, world Organization for health, partner of the government of R-cd. to carry out together the combat of fight against this epidemic, set up a team of general practitioners and epidemiologists and nine male nurses to assure the social mobilization and the epidemiologic monitoring.

This epidemic which goes back to April 27, 2007 made 372 cases and 166 deaths in three zones of health of the territory of Mweka.

To date, other cases suspect?s in the zone of health of Benatshianza are to be examined in Mweka to determine if they are related to the hemorrhagic fever of Ebola. According to data's of WHO, they are more the women who constitute the batch of patients. The statistical data give a report on 55%, that is to say 193 of the patients women.

The national and international answers did not delay. On the national level, a cell of crisis was installation by the Ministry for the Public health and is animated by the secretary general of the ministry. This cell gathers all the partners of health, in particular ONG, the agencies of the United Nations and the principal givers. The with dimensions international one, a team of WHO and M?decins without Belgium border are on-site on ground.

A center of insulation is created to ensure the care of the patients in the surface of health of Kampungu which is the epicentre of the epidemic. The hospitals of three zones of health concerned are under monitoring of the doctors of MSF/Belgique and a doctor of the University Private clinics of Kinshasa.

In spite of hygienic measurements taken, the virus continues to devastate the part centers country. Information close to the representative office of WHO with Kinshasa gives a report on the town of Mweneditu in Kasa? Oriental which would be also touched by the virus.

Already MSF/Belgique plans to send another team to reinforce the two doctors and 9 male nurses who work in the hospitals of the zone of health of Mweka. This fever which remakes surface after one decade left died a chief of the village of Bena Ndongo, Kwete Shamba, 70 years old, deceased on May 5, 2007, practically involving all its close relations, in particular his brother which had washed his body, the assistant manager of the village, its assistant and of the people come to its funeral, reveals the representative office of WHO with Kinshasa.
ERIC MASIMO. lesoftonline.net 16/09/2007

http://www.lesoftonline.net/phil.php?id=1089

[Laidback Al]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

General location map of Mwene-Ditu in the DR Congo.

[Commonground]

Re: Congo - Ebola - 160 dead - WHO Experts In Congo To Study Mysterious Disease

Thanks Al. I've copied the map. Do we have any reports other than Mweka? Because there is a lot of distance in between Mweka and MweneDitu.

This epidemic which goes back to April 27, 2007 made 372 cases and 166 deaths in three zones of health of the territory of Mweka.