WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 43: 18 - 24 October 2021
Data as reported by: 17:00; 24 October 2021
...
Ebola virus disease Democratic Republic of the
Congo
6 Cases
3 Death
50.0% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Butsili Health Area (HA), Beni
Health Zone (HZ) continues with one new confirmed case reported in the
past week. The case is a 24 years-old male from Butsili Health Area and
a known contact under follow-up.
As of 23 October 2021, a total of six confirmed cases of EVD have been
reported in Beni HZ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with three
deaths (case fatality ratio 50.0%), including two community deaths.
Among the confirmed cases, 33.3% (2/6) are children under five-years
of age. All the six confirmed cases have been reported from Butsili HA.
Since the confirmation of the EVD outbreak in Beni HZ, a total of 544
contacts have been listed, of which 478 (87.9.0%) are under follow
up, 54 (9.9%) contacts had never been seen, and one contact is lost
to follow-up. Of the contacts under follow up, seven became suspects
including five in Butsili HA, one in Mabakanga HA and one in Ngongolio
HA. All the suspect cases are currently under isolation at Beni Hospital.
As of 23 October 2021, a total 225 alerts including eight deaths were
notified; of these 222 (99.0%) were investigated, 19 (8.4%) were
validated as suspected cases of EVD and samples were collected from
10 suspected cases. Samples were not collected from the other nine
suspected cases who declined.
Since the start of vaccination on 13 October 2021, 229 people (including
59 primary care providers) have been vaccinated: 84 contacts of
contacts, 96 probable contacts and 49 high risk contacts.
On 23 October 2021, 30 laboratory samples were analyzed among which
no sample returned positive for EVD. Since the start of the response, a
total of 265 samples have been taken and analysed, of which six returned
positive for the EVD.
A swab sample of the known index case was sequenced and initial
findings indicate that this outbreak likely represents a new flare-up of
the 2018-2020 Nord Kivu/Ituri EVD outbreak, initiated by transmission
from a persistently infected survivor or a survivor who experienced
relapse. Further epidemiologic investigations are ongoing to determine
the source.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
The Ministry of Health, with support from partners, is investigating
the most recent case and building capacity of local laboratory
technicians, contact tracers, and vaccination teams.
Vaccination activities against EVD continues in five sites; Ngongolio,
Paida, Mandrandele, Bustili and Mabakanga. Vaccinators are using
the “ring vaccination” approach, where contacts and contacts of
contacts are vaccinated.
Different community groups have been reached and engaged to
raise awareness on Ebola response interventions, as well as in
establishing an Ebola survivor care programme.
The household of the last confirmed case and health facilities where
he was treated have been decontaminated.
Hand washing kits were availed to 15 health centres and the
community
On 23 October 2021, nine suspected cases were admitted including
one at Butsili health centre, two at Beni treatment centre, three at
Kanzulinzuli health centre and three in Malepe health centre.
Training and re-training of the health workforce for early detection,
isolation, treatment of EVD cases as well as safe and dignified
burials and the IPC ring approach is ongoing.
Community dialogue was held with 32 leaders of different youth
associations in the city of Beni to solicit their involvement in
sensitizing their communities in the fight against EVD; awareness
was conducted in an Adventist church on prevention measures for
EVD.
Alert monitoring continues using both active case finding in health
facilities and passive surveillance.
A total of 48 953 (90.3%) travellers were screened among the 54
211 people who went through the different points of control (PoCs).
Management of suspected EVD cases is underway at a provisional
EVD treated center
Laboratory analysis of samples from suspected EVD cases is also
ongoing
Psychosocial care is being offered to the affected families and
suspected cases.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
The EVD outbreak in Beni HZ continues to evolve with one new confirmed
case identified in the past week. A total of six confirmed cases has been
recorded with three deaths. Only Butsili health area is affected to date.
There are challenges around weak reporting of alerts by health zones,
limited human resources for contact follow-up, and other public health
actions; insufficient tools for surveillance including personal protective
equipment in health facilities in the health zone. National and regional
authorities, and partners need to urgently strengthen surveillance in
health zones and ensure that the treatment centres in Beni are operational
for both suspected and confirmed cases.
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DRC - Three new Ebola cases confirmed in eastern Congo - October 18, 2021
Source: https://wsau.com/2021/10/18/three-ne...eastern-congo/
Three new Ebola cases confirmed in eastern Congo
By Syndicated Content
Oct 18, 2021 | 3:19 AM
BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Three new Ebola cases have been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing the total to five in the last 10 days, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
Health officials have said the latest flare-up of the virus appeared to be linked to the massive 2018-20 outbreak, which killed more than 2,200 people and infected more than 1,000 others.
The cases were detected on Saturday in the health district of Butsili, close to the city of Beni where the last outbreak was centred, the WHO said in a statement. Three people out of the five confirmed cases have died...
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