Congo - Ebola - 183 deaths + 187 suspected cases

[Treyfish]

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

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

Congo-Kinshasa: Ebola Outbreak "Contained" - Kabila

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UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
14 September 2007
Posted to the web 14 September 2007
Kinshasa
Measures have been taken to prevent the spread of Ebola following the deaths of at least 160 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo's southern province of Kasai Occidental during the past two months, President Joseph Kabila said.
"The village of Kampungu [the worst affected] has been quarantined to prevent population movement towards Kananga," Kabila told reporters on 13 September. Kananga is the main town in the province.

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"The situation is at the moment, I cannot say under control, but at least the problem has been contained very well in the area," he said. "There is no risk that the whole country will be affected," said Kabila.
Health experts had been deployed to Kananga on 12 September, the health minister, Victor Makwenge Kaput, said.
This followed the analysis of blood samples from five infected people at the referral laboratory in Franceville, Gabon, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA, and the national institute for biomedical research (l'Institut national de récherche bio-medicale), which confirmed the outbreak of the Ebola haemorrhagic fever.
According to Kaput, the crisis committee, made up of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC, was conducting investigations to confirm whether all the deaths had been caused by the Ebola virus after cases of shingles and dysentery were confirmed.
More doctors needed
After the arrival of CDC health experts, local health personnel numbers in the affected areas were boosted, but Kaput said more doctors, epidemiologists, nurses and medical supplies were needed to isolate all suspected cases.
"It is necessary that we continue with the action on the ground," said Kaput, who is also coordinating aid donations from WHO and other partners.
A health team from South Africa is also expected to join the control operation.
Meanwhile, Kaput said an evaluation would be carried out to determine how the epidemic evolved, with two new cases being detected in Kananga, 100km to the southeast.
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One of the suspected cases was that of a trader from Mweka, one of the worst affected parts of the province.
At least 395 people, including the fatalities, have been affected in the province, according to the provincial health inspector, Jean-Constantin Kanow. http://allafrica.com/stories/200709140799.html

 

[Commonground]

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

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

August 30th: 217 cases with 103 deaths
September 14th: 386 with 169 deaths

 

[Treyfish]

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

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

Rwanda: Ebola - Govt Issues Alert

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New Times (Kigali)
13 September 2007
Posted to the web 14 September 2007
Edwin Musoni
Kigali
The State Minister in charge of HIV/Aids and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Innocent Nyaruhirira, has issued an alert following an outbreak of Ebola in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
On Monday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a statement confirming the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

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An estimated 200 people have been killed by the deadly Ebola virus since April this year, the WHO said in the statement.
Dr Nyaruhirira said yesterday that his ministry has already contacted the Treatment Research and Aids Center (TRAC), to set up mechanism to prevent the deadly haemorrhagic fever from spreading to Rwanda from DRC.
"We have alerted local leaders, health professionals and the local population living along the Rwanda-DRC border," Nyaruhirira said.
Laboratory results have confirmed a deadly illness outbreak in southeastern DRC's province of Kasai as Ebola fever.
Kisai is about 1,000 kilometers from the Rwandan border.
Dr Nyaruhirira also said that the government has set up stop centers to check for any cases coming into Rwanda.
"The centers will be identifying the symptoms and trying to isolate whoever is infected as required by the WHO," he said. Nyaruhira said the killer disease spreads at a very fast rate and it kills in less than seven days.
"Only 10 percent of the treated people are likely to be cured, and the remaining 90 percent has less chances of surviving," he explained.
The last major Ebola outbreak struck in Kikwit, DRC and claimed about 250 lives. Kikwit is about 185 miles from the site of the current outbreak.
Meanwhile, international health workers launched an emergency operation on Wednesday to fight the spread of the haemorrhagic Ebola fever.
The WHO medical experts and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) joined local health authorities in DRC in a major logistics operation to try to contain the outbreak.
So far, five major cases of Ebola have been confirmed while more than 160 deaths among 352 sick people have been registered over the last four months.
Currently there is no vaccine or treatment for the Ebola fever.
MSF deployed a health team in the Kasai, epicenters have been set up and tonnes of medical equipment have been flown to the troubled DRC region.
The equipment includes plastic tents and structures to isolate infected patients.
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Medicines and sanitation materials, such as water tanks, chlorine for disinfectant and Ebola Kits including protective gloves, boots, glasses, masks, uniforms, aprons and hoods for the medical teams have been flown to the Congo.
The disease is so contagious that protective clothing can only be used once and then must be carefully destroyed.
Media reports indicate that DRC heath authorities have called for international assistance to stop the spread of the virus while WHO issued an international request for more doctors and other experts to travel to southeastern Congo to combat the epidemic.:tiphat: http://allafrica.com/stories/200709140150.html
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[Commonground]

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

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

Have I seen this statement? And if so, does it mention when it started? The statement on the 13th doesn't mention 200, nor the onset.

An estimated 200 people have been killed by the deadly Ebola virus since April this year, the WHO said in the statement.

Edit: I found it. Post #52. But the above information is not in that statement.

 

[Commonground]

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

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

Date: Thu 13 Sep 2007
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert
and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_09_13/en/index.html>


The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola haemorrhagic fever update

Following the confirmed laboratory diagnosis of the presence of Ebola
haemorrhagic fever virus in samples taken from cases in the province
of Kasai Occidental of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO is
currently upgrading its field operations to support the Ministry of
Health in managing and containing the outbreak.

A team from the WHO Country Office has been present in the affected
area since 3 Sep 2007 with further staff from the WHO Regional Office
for Africa joining the field operations on 7 Sep 2007 and this week
from WHO Headquarters. The WHO team is working closely with
representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medecins Sans
Frontieres to upgrade the existing facilities. Of high priority is
the establishment of a mobile field laboratory to be attached to the
existing isolation ward in order to expedite rapid diagnosis of
patients and to differentiate between the different pathogens, such
as _Shigella dysenteriae_ type 1, that have also been associated with
this outbreak. Ongoing surveillance and case finding is also being
enhanced and social mobilization activities are under-way to provide
the local population with all relevant information in order to
contain the outbreak.

WHO is also establishing a logistics platform in the vicinity to
support the field operations and to facilitate access to the affected area.

http://tinyurl.com/2ltz7h

 

[Treyfish]

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

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

hat-tip AURORA:tiphat: New ebola emergency in DR Congo
More resources urgently needed

by RNW Internet/Newsline

14-09-2007

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has told RNW's Newsline programme that it is still trying to assess the scale of the emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a new outbreak of the ebola virus has already killed over 150 people. Medics are also concerned that there may be other diseases spreading in the affected area, the Kasai province. More resources are being requested to fight the outbreak of the virus, which has no known cure. [snip]

"The problem started round about April or May when there were some isolated cases where people had been hunting in the forest, and shortly after that there were reports of funeral ceremonies where quite a lot of people were buried at the same time. When these reports came out, we were alerted by the health services and later on by the World Health Organization. So then health workers started tracing these cases actively. So far they've found out that up to now there have been more than 150 deaths, which means it's a real epidemic in a region where about 10 to 15 thousand people live. Later there was some spreading because sick people left the area, going to other towns and villages. This means it's a real threat to the area."

The outbreak is also having a significant social impact, explained Mr de Paepe:
"Of course at the beginning people didn't know what was happening, they thought it was poison or black magic. These people are living in remote parts of the bush and they're not well educated. Many people thought all the deaths were due to witchcraft. But recently there was one funeral where an ebola patient was buried, and several people who were at the burial later died. Then the authorities were able to explain that it is a contagious disease."

Attempts to stop panic
People have been starting to panic, said Mr de Paepe, and the aid workers have had to explain that preventive measures, not panic, are what's needed. The key now, he says, is teaching the people how to prevent infection. Attempts to quarantine the suspected cases in the area have been going on for a few weeks, but it's impossible to fully isolate an area in the bush.
"There are restrictions in place for the movement of sick people. And movement of the healthy population is controlled, not forbidden. The people who are clearly sick are being taken care of, but they have to be quarantined. Wards are being set up in the region and surrounding towns. And even in the provincial capital Kalanga there are now isolation wards."

Movement of people a problem
Nevertheless, the spread of the disease is clearly being made worse by the inability to control the movement of the population.

"There are ten new cases per day here. Most of the people infected quickly die. But because people have been travelling to surrounding towns, they could be spreading the disease. There are several suspected cases in nearby villages, but they still have to be confirmed. The WHO is flying in a mobile laboratory which will allow us to test and confirm whether all of the victims are dying of ebola."

The most worrying aspect of the situation is that the scale of the epidemic looks like equalling, and maybe exceeding, the scale of others that have occurred:

"This is a very serious epidemic. There have been epidemics in other places in Africa, in Sudan for instance, and they all claimed between 200 and 300 lives. Given the spreading to other villages and towns, this one might get bigger. These epidemics take a long time to be discovered. So measures are being taken to tackle it. The measures have to stop this, otherwise there's no end to it." :tiphat:

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/eb070914mc 10 more cases per day and may be the worst outbreak yet.

 

[Treyfish]

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

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

hat-tip Aurora:tiphat: Zambia in Ebola alert
Government says it has put health officials in border areas with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on high alert following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in that country.
Health Minister, Brian Chituwo told journalists in the Zambian capital, Lusaka that his ministry has instructed health officials in border areas with the DRC to ensure people entering the country from the former Zaire are extensively screened.
Dr. Chituwo noted that all people coming from the DRC will be observed for up to 8 hours for any Ebola symptoms.
However the Minister said that there is no risk that the disease might be transmitted into Zambia because Ebola is a very dangerous disease which claims its victims within a short period of contacting it.
Dr. Chituwo added that it is almost impossible for people who are infected to cross into Zambia.
Ebola is a deadly disease has broken out in the DRC and hundreds of people have already died. :tiphat:
http://www.znbc.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=9&id=1189766775

 

[Laidback Al]

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

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

The most worrying aspect of the situation is that the scale of the epidemic looks like equalling, and maybe exceeding, the scale of others that have occurred

The previous largest outbreak of Ebola occurred in Uganda in 2000/2001.

There were 425 cases and 224 died (CFR = 53%)

see table at:http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/index1.html

 

[Treyfish]

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

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

Ebola epidemic fears in DR Congo
Sofia Bouderbala
Sat, 15 Sep 2007

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo urgently want to find about 100 people believed to have been close to Ebola victims and contain an outbreak that may have taken almost 170 lives, they said on Friday.
"We are looking for all people who may have been in contact with the sick who are presenting symptoms of Ebola or of shigellosis," Secretary General Benoit Kebelo, a senior health ministry official, told AFP.
The authorities want to stop an epidemic of Ebola, an incurable haemorrhagic fever that kills between 50 and 90 percent of those infected, depending on the strain and the speed of intervention to treat symptoms.
"We're looking for around 100 people, especially in the Kampungu zone," said Kebelo, referring to the epicentre of the epidemic, some 300 kilometres from the provincial capital of Kananga.
Officials fear that highly contagious Ebola, for which there is no known cure, may have claimed 169 lives out of 376 cases since April. However, some may be due to the simultaneous appearance of the Shigella strand of infectious dysentery, which is treatable by antibiotics.
Kebelo said that since the outbreaks were first detected at the end of April, five cases of Ebola and one of Shigella had been formally confirmed by international laboratories.
But for the broader picture, "you must approach these numbers with caution," warned Kebelo, who heads a joint ministerial task force co-ordinating with the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control, and a team from Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
"There are symptoms that could correspond to other illnesses and we don't know yet what the true scope of Ebola or shigellosis is," he said.
Epidemic of 1976
The main aim of the government was to prevent an epidemic like that of 1976, when almost 500 people died in what was then Zaire and a neighbouring part of Sudan.
"Our priority is to raise people's awareness, stop villagers panicking and fleeing, prevent gatherings at, for example, funerals and ensure that every suspect case gets to a health centre immediately," Kebelo said.
The health ministry has deployed "about 100" doctors, nurses, logistics staff and educators in the danger zone, but these teams need bicycles to get around the region, the coordinator added.
Belgian MSF teams in the area have been reinforced since late August after confirmation of the first new Ebola case in the country where the disease was first identified in 1976. The WHO has also sent a delegation from Geneva, with medical supplies and protective clothing for health staff.
"We've set up a quarantine unit in a shed near the Kampungu health centre," MSF-Belgium coordinator in DRC, Sylvaine Lonlas, told AFP. "On Thursday night, we had three patients in serious condition and total isolation, and two under moderate surveillance. Six others are convalescing and come back every day for a check-up."
Ebola's survival rate can be increased by quarantine and swift help for those infected, who risk high fever, rapid dehydration, internal haemorrhage and blood loss.
The Atlanta-based CDC ? which identified one of the first Ebola cases ? is expected shortly to send an epidemiologist and set up an on-site laboratory for a more precise diagnosis of cases, several medical sources told AFP.
The government of Angola, whose northern and northeastern provinces border on Kasai Occidentale, placed health authorities in these regions on high alert for Ebola on Friday in response to the DRC outbreak.
After it reappeared in Sudan in 1979, Ebola, which was named after a river in the Equateur province where it was first identified in 1976, suddenly swept Zaire again in 1995, claiming 245 lives out of the 315 registered cases. :tiphat:
AFP
http://iafrica.com/news/worldnews/557540.htm

 

[Treyfish]

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

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

Ebola: Angola places its frontier provinces of the DRC in state of alertAFPSep 15, 07 - 12h12 JOHANNESBURG, 14 seven 2007 (AFP) - the ministry for Angolan Health placed the provinces of the north of the country, frontier of the democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in state of alert because of hemorrhagic cases of fever Ebola indexed in this close country, according to an official official statement.?Since the province of Western Kasa? (south-western of the DRC) is frontier of Angola, the ministry for Health launches an alarm to the medical authorities and with the population living close to the borders?, the ministry in this official statement transmitted to AFP with Johannesburg writes.The provinces in state of alert are those of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Uige, Zaire and Moxico.Uige had been in 2005 the epicentre of a hemorrhagic epidemic of fever of Marburg --virus similar to frightening Ebola-- who had made nearly 230 died, of which a score of medical personnel.The ministry required of the medical authorities provinces concerned to create or reactivate the Commissions urgently charged to ensure ?a regular follow-up of the situation and to bring back all the suspect cases, quickly at the central level?.The health services of DRC currently seek a hundred people having been in liaison with patients in Western Kasa?, where five cases of Ebola were identified.Doctors without borders - Belgium (MSF-B) reinforced its teams on the spot and the World Health Organization (WHO) dispatched an important delegation of Geneva.Very contagious, the Ebola fever already struck ex-Zaire twice, making 500 on both sides dead border with Sudan in 1976 and 245 died in 1995.http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=15417

 

[Treyfish]

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

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.:tiphat:

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

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

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. ?:tiphat: http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?h...i=53&a=14537&prev=/search?q=radio+okapi&hl=en

 

[Treyfish]

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

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.:tiphat: http://www.monuc.org/AllNews.aspx?lang=fr&TypeID=4

 

[Treyfish]

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

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.:tiphat: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol11no03/04-0981.htm

 

[Treyfish]

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

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>

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</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

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.:tiphat: 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... :yinyang: 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.:tiphat: http://www.lobservateur.cd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7605&Itemid=34

 

[Treyfish]

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

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.:tiphat:
</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

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.yzq_d=new Object();window.yzq_d['EbkcrM6.IrA-']='&U=13btmnlh9%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." :tiphat: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070916/health/health_congo_ebola_canada_1

 

[Treyfish]

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

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.:tiphat: http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=14565
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