WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 34: 17 - 23 August 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 23 August 2020
...
Yellow fever
Senegal
1 Cases
0 Deaths
0.0% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The National Focal Point of the International Health Regulations (NFPIHR)
for Senegal was informed of a yellow fever case in the Touba
district on 21 July 2020 after a sample sent to Institut Pasteur Dakar was
returned positive for yellow fever by IgM antibody testing.
The case patient is a five-year-old girl living in the Darou Marnane Ndia
area, the third of five siblings, whose yellow fever vaccinations are not up
to date. The onset of illness was on 24 June 2020, when she presented
with fever, myalgia (muscle aches) and abdominal pain. She was taken
to a traditional healer and given an unknown substance. On 1 July 2020,
because her symptoms persisted, she was taken to the Daou Marnane
Health Centre, where a rapid diagnostic test for malaria was negative.
She was treated empirically with ceftriaxone and paracetamol and no
biological workup was done. On the same day a blood sample was taken
as part of the sentinel surveillance for arboviruses in the syndromic
sentinel surveillance network (4S network), which was sent to Institut
Pasteur Dakar on 12 July 2020. The delay was due to diversion of
resources to the COVID-19 response. The child is recovering well with
symptomatic treatment as an outpatient.
Active case searching at household level identified 28 contacts, two of
whom, the mother and one sister, were sampled but tested negative. At
the same time, an active search through records reviews were conducted
in the Darou Marnane Health Centre and the other five facilities close
to this centre, covering the period from May 2020 to 31 July 2020. No
suspected cases were found. A total of 10 children from the home of the
case patient were vaccinated.
A larval survey for vectors was carried out in 30 areas and 190 housing
units and 144 potential sites were identified, including ponds, water
storage containers, abandoned containers, tyres and animal drinking
troughs. Infestation rates were above 22%, mainly in water storage
containers and ponds. A high proportion of the mosquitoes identified
were Aedes aegypti, a proven vector of yellow fever.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
On 21 July 2020 a district team, made up of the District Chief
Medical Officer, the Surveillance Focal Point, the Primary Health
Care Supervisor and the Head of the Touba Hygiene Sub-brigade
met to determine the next steps in outbreak investigation.
A support mission was carried out by the AFENET/FETP programme
manager in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer of the Touba
District.
An extended team was formed at central level on notification of
the case to conduct a fact-finding mission at district level between
13-18 August 2020.
A full epidemiological, entomological and environmental
investigation of the yellow fever outbreak was carried out in the
district
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
Health authorities in Senegal have confirmed a case of yellow fever in
Darou Marnane Ndia area, Touba. The area in which this case occurred
is known to have low vaccine coverage rate compared to the rest of
the district. In addition, the COVID-19 outbreak is known to have had a
serious impact on the use of health services in general and vaccination
services in particular, increasing the number of children who are
vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Authorities in Touba
are to be commended on their prompt and efficient response to this
case. However, continued follow-up of the contacts to the index case
is required, as is strengthening of routine and sentinel surveillance.
Catch up vaccination campaigns are required, along with reinforcement
of vector control, which should destruction of breeding sites. Health
personnel need to be trained in the identification of A. aegypti breeding
areas, which are distinct from the shallower water used by Culex spp.
Authorities should remain vigilant to ensure that there are no further
cases of yellow fever and work with the COVID-19 response to improve
surveillance of other infectious diseases in the area.
...
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 34: 17 - 23 August 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 23 August 2020
...
Yellow fever
Senegal
1 Cases
0 Deaths
0.0% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The National Focal Point of the International Health Regulations (NFPIHR)
for Senegal was informed of a yellow fever case in the Touba
district on 21 July 2020 after a sample sent to Institut Pasteur Dakar was
returned positive for yellow fever by IgM antibody testing.
The case patient is a five-year-old girl living in the Darou Marnane Ndia
area, the third of five siblings, whose yellow fever vaccinations are not up
to date. The onset of illness was on 24 June 2020, when she presented
with fever, myalgia (muscle aches) and abdominal pain. She was taken
to a traditional healer and given an unknown substance. On 1 July 2020,
because her symptoms persisted, she was taken to the Daou Marnane
Health Centre, where a rapid diagnostic test for malaria was negative.
She was treated empirically with ceftriaxone and paracetamol and no
biological workup was done. On the same day a blood sample was taken
as part of the sentinel surveillance for arboviruses in the syndromic
sentinel surveillance network (4S network), which was sent to Institut
Pasteur Dakar on 12 July 2020. The delay was due to diversion of
resources to the COVID-19 response. The child is recovering well with
symptomatic treatment as an outpatient.
Active case searching at household level identified 28 contacts, two of
whom, the mother and one sister, were sampled but tested negative. At
the same time, an active search through records reviews were conducted
in the Darou Marnane Health Centre and the other five facilities close
to this centre, covering the period from May 2020 to 31 July 2020. No
suspected cases were found. A total of 10 children from the home of the
case patient were vaccinated.
A larval survey for vectors was carried out in 30 areas and 190 housing
units and 144 potential sites were identified, including ponds, water
storage containers, abandoned containers, tyres and animal drinking
troughs. Infestation rates were above 22%, mainly in water storage
containers and ponds. A high proportion of the mosquitoes identified
were Aedes aegypti, a proven vector of yellow fever.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
On 21 July 2020 a district team, made up of the District Chief
Medical Officer, the Surveillance Focal Point, the Primary Health
Care Supervisor and the Head of the Touba Hygiene Sub-brigade
met to determine the next steps in outbreak investigation.
A support mission was carried out by the AFENET/FETP programme
manager in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer of the Touba
District.
An extended team was formed at central level on notification of
the case to conduct a fact-finding mission at district level between
13-18 August 2020.
A full epidemiological, entomological and environmental
investigation of the yellow fever outbreak was carried out in the
district
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
Health authorities in Senegal have confirmed a case of yellow fever in
Darou Marnane Ndia area, Touba. The area in which this case occurred
is known to have low vaccine coverage rate compared to the rest of
the district. In addition, the COVID-19 outbreak is known to have had a
serious impact on the use of health services in general and vaccination
services in particular, increasing the number of children who are
vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Authorities in Touba
are to be commended on their prompt and efficient response to this
case. However, continued follow-up of the contacts to the index case
is required, as is strengthening of routine and sentinel surveillance.
Catch up vaccination campaigns are required, along with reinforcement
of vector control, which should destruction of breeding sites. Health
personnel need to be trained in the identification of A. aegypti breeding
areas, which are distinct from the shallower water used by Culex spp.
Authorities should remain vigilant to ensure that there are no further
cases of yellow fever and work with the COVID-19 response to improve
surveillance of other infectious diseases in the area.
...