DRC - Ebola outbreak detected in western DRC, near Mbandaka, equateur province - June 1, 2020 - 128 cases, 53 deaths

[sharon sanders]

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

@DrTedros
A new #Ebola outbreak detected in western #DRC, near Mbandaka, ?quateur province.
@MinSanteRDC
has identified 6 cases, of which 4 people have died. The country is also in final phase of battling Ebola in eastern DRC, #COVID19 & the world’s largest measles outbreak.
9:21 AM ? Jun 1, 2020


@DrTedros
?
1h
Replying to
@DrTedros
.
@WHO
already has staff in Mbandaka, #DRC supporting the new #Ebola outbreak response. This outbreak is a reminder that #COVID19 is not the only health threat people face. WHO is continuing to monitor & respond to many health emergencies.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Press review of June 2, 2020

The resurgence of Ebola virus disease in Equateur province has occupied the pages of several Congolese media.

The DRC is once again facing an Ebola epidemic. The announcement was made on Monday June 1 by the Minister of Public Health, reports Cas-info.ca .
According to Eteni Longondo, samples of suspected cases declared positive by the INRB caused the virus to reappear in Mbandaka.
“I can confirm that we have a new Ebola outbreak in Mbandaka, in the province of ex-Ecuador. This means that I myself will go there to provide technical support to the response team, ” said Eteni Longondo, whose comments are reproduced on the website.

According to information provided by the Congolese government, notes for its part Actualite.cd , five people died in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur province, in the northwest of the country.

The same sources indicate that four other infected people are being taken care of. They were in contact with the confirmed confirmed cases. All are treated in an isolation unit at Wangata hospital in Mbandaka, the portal added.

The governor of Ecuador Bobo Boloko, said, based on information received from the head of the provincial health division that the dead were recorded in the Air Congo district in the city of Mbandaka, note 7 on 7.cd.

A meeting involving all the technical health and safety services as well as technical and financial partners was held on this.

The governor asks the population to be calm and to observe hygiene measures, in particular washing their hands regularly with soap, not greeting each other by hands, not touching the sick and the deceased after having done fever and bleeding, for its part reports Mediacongo.net .

"The new Ebola epidemic in Mbandaka represents a challenge, but it is one that we are ready to take up," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Director of the WHO Regional Office for the Africa, says Prosperity .

Dr. Moeti recalled that the UN agency has been working for years with the Congolese Ministry of Health, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their partners in strengthening capacities to respond to Ebola outbreaks , adds the newspaper.

Actu-30.info recalls that the new Ebola epidemic declared in Mbandaka is the eleventh that the Democratic Republic of Congo has known. It resurfaced after the city of Beni.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Declaration of the eleventh epidemic of Ebola virus disease in Equateur *
• The Minister of Health, Dr. Eteni Longodo, declared this Monday 01 June 2020 in Kinshasa the eleventh epidemic of the Ebola virus disease in Mbandaka in the province of Equateur;
• It is since May 11, 2020 that the city of Mbandaka had notified 8 cases of Hemorrhagic Fever, including 3 positive cases (2 living positive and 1 positive death), 2 suspected cases and 3 probable deaths;
• Among the samples analyzed at the laboratory of the National Institute of Biomedical Research, the 3 which proved positive belong to the Ebola virus of the Zaire type;

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

KINSHASA, 1 June 2020 – The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed the death of five people – including one 15-year-old girl - due to Ebola in Mbandaka, the capital of ?quateur Province in the north-western part of the country.

The deaths occurred between the 18th and 30th of May but they were only confirmed as Ebola-related yesterday.

Four additional people who contracted the virus – all contacts of the deceased and including the child of one of the fatal cases - are being treated in an isolation unit at the Wangata Hospital in Mbandaka.

 

[Pathfinder]

WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 22: 25 - 31 May 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 31 May 2020
...

A NEW EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK CONFIRMED IN MBANDAKA,
?QUATEUR PROVINCE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

6 Cases
4,Deaths
67% CFR


EVENT DESCRIPTION

On 1 June 2020, the Ministry of Health in Democratic Republic of the Congo notified WHO of a fresh outbreak of Ebola
virus disease (EVD) in Mbandaka, ?quateur Province. The event initially involved a cluster of four deaths that occurred
between 18 and 30 May 2020. The index case is a 27-year-old female who reportedly died in Wangata hospital on 18 May
2020. Three other case-patients from the same community in Air Congo Quarter of Wangata fell ill and died with a similar
illness in the subsequent days, with the last death occurring on 30 May 2020. A swab specimen was collected from the
last deceased case-patient while no specimens were obtained from the three initial deceased case-patients. On 31 May
2020, a health worker who attended to the initial case-patients, along with his wife, presented with symptoms and both
have been isolated in Wangata hospital.

The swab specimen collected from the last deceased case-patient and two blood specimens obtained from the two casepatients currently admitted tested positive for Ebola virus, Zaire Ebolavirus species, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction at the Institut National de Recherche Biom?dicale (INRB), Kinshasa on 1 June 2020.

As of 1 June 2020, a total of six EVD cases, including three confirmed and three probable cases have been reported. Of
the six cases, four have died, giving a case fatality ratio of 67%. Two active cases are in admission and are being managed
in Wangata hospital.

Further investigations into this event are ongoing and updates will be provided as information becomes available.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332246/OEW22-2531052020.pdf

 

[JJackson]

Has anyone seen a sequence, or epidemiological link to the older outbreak, to show if this is h2h or a new zoonotic event?

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Posted on Thu, 06/04/2020

The province of Equateur currently has five patients, including a woman in the city of Bikoro, 128 km from Mbandaka.

The sick are treated at the Ebola treatment center set up in the annex of the Wangata general reference hospital.

But two other suspected cases are under observation.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

WHO teams arrive in Mbandaka as DRC battles fresh ebola outbreak


The Independent June 4, 2020

Mbandaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Nearly 50 staff from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have arrived in Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to tackle yet another outbreak of Ebola in the country.

The responders carried 3,500 doses of Ebola vaccine and 2,000 cartridges for lab testing, according to the head of the World Health Organisation – Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “This is an important reminder that even as WHO focuses on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to monitor and respond to many other health emergencies,” he said.

The Ebola outbreak in Mbandaka, located in Equateur province in northwest DRC – on the opposite side of the country to the worst epidemic in the country’s history that is petering out – was confirmed earlier this week. So far, eight cases have been detected, four of whom have died.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Helen Branswell

@HelenBranswell
1.
@WHO
tells me that the case count in the Mbandaka #Ebola outbreak is actually 12 (9 confirmed, 3 probable) cases & 6 deaths. Problem with the line listing (ie the report of 14 cases) has been corrected. 1 of the cases is at Bikoro, apparently

2. Interesting there is an #Ebola case at Bikoro, a very remote place in western DRC. Bikoro was the epicenter in the 2018 outbreak in Equateur province. Unusual to see Ebola break out in the same places a second time.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Mbandaka: WHO proceeds with Ebola vaccination campaign


Posted on Mon, 8/06/2020


The WHO has been carrying out Ebola vaccination since Friday June 5 in Mbandaka (Equateur).

This campaign takes place in 4 different sites, including 3 of these sites which are in the Air-Congo district, the current epicenter of the epidemic in the city.

So far, there has been a high number of Ebola cases, as well as deaths. A second site was also opened at the Wangata General Hospital. But given the enthusiasm aroused by the Air-Congo campaign, two other sites have been added, notably to the Protestant Church / 10th CDCC and to the Ipeko Health Center.

We note the enthusiasm of the population. At the Wangata hospital, the vaccinators give priority to the people who are most exposed such as healthcare providers, families of the victims, as well as contacts and contacts of contacts.

In the meantime, the mobilizers are continuing awareness-raising and others are counting the contacts of the last cases of death in the city.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Up to 12 infected in Congo's new Ebola outbreak - WHO



KINSHASA, June 8 (Reuters) - Up to 12 people have been found infected with Ebola in a new outbreak of the deadly disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

A week ago, authorities reported six infections in the northwestern city of Mbandaka, saying they appeared to be separate from another outbreak of the virus that has raged in the east since 2018.

There have now been nine confirmed cases and three probable cases of the disease in and around Mbandaka, the WHO said. Six of those people have died, it added.

The city sits on the Congo River, close to the border with the Republic of Congo.

 

[Pathfinder]

Has anyone seen a sequence, or epidemiological link to the older outbreak, to show if this is h2h or a new zoonotic event?

Ebola in the DRC: the new epidemic comes "probably from an animal reservoir"

Posted at 11:16 a.m.

The new Ebola epidemic in the north-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC Check spelling ) comes " probably " from an " animal reservoir ", said on Tuesday in Geneva, the director general of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It is therefore not linked to the one still going on in the east of the country.

" The investigations are underway, " said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on social networks. But the sequencing already shows that the virus is not the same as that which was observed in 2018 in the same area, or that which caused the current epidemic in the East of the country.

...
https://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/deta...robablement-d-un-reservoir-animal?id=10518347

 

[Pathfinder]

Outbreaks and Emergencies Bulletin, Week 23: 01 - 07 June 2020

...

Ebola virus disease Democratic Republic of the Congo
(?quateur Province)

12 Cases
6 Deaths
50% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

On 1 June 2020, the Ministry of Health in Democratic Republic of
the Congo notified WHO of a fresh outbreak of Ebola virus disease
(EVD) in Mbandaka Health Zone, ?quateur Province. The event
initially involved a cluster of four deaths that occurred between 18
and 30 May 2020. The index case was a 27-year-old female who
presented to Wangata hospital on 18 May 2020 and died on 22 May
2020. Three other case-patients from the same community in Air
Congo Quarter of Wangata, Mbandaka Health Zone fell ill and died
with similar illness. Blood samples obtained from three of the case
patients turned positive for Ebola virus, Zaire ebolavirus species,
by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the
Institute National de Recherche Biom?dicale (INRB), Kinshasa on 1
June 2020.

On 31 May 2020, the nurse who attended to the initial case-patients,
along with his wife, presented with symptoms, and both have been
isolated in Wangata hospital and are under investigation.

As of 6 June 2020, a total of 12 cases (9 confirmed and 3 probable)
with six deaths, three in confirmed cases (case fatality ratio 50.0%)
have been reported in three affected health zones: Bikoro (1
confirmed; 1 death), Mbandaka (6 confirmed, 3 probable; 1 death)
and Wangata (2 confirmed; 1 death). The case fatality ratio among
confirmed cases is 33.3% (3 deaths/9 confirmed cases). Two health
workers are among the confirmed cases since the start of the
outbreak, 18.2% of all cases.

The health zones reporting confirmed and probable cases since the
start of the outbreak are Bikoro (1 health area affected), Mbandaka
(3 health areas affected) and Wangata (2 health area affected).
Thirteen new contacts were recorded as of 5 June 2020, all from
Wangata Health Zone, bringing the total number of contacts under
follow-up to 178, of whom a total of 150 were seen in the past 24
hours. Only one contact is suspected of being a possible infection.
Five alerts, of which one was new, were registered on 5 June 2020;
three (60%) were investigated and validated.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

On 5 June 2020, the national Minister of Health, as well as
WHO and UNICEF country representatives carried out a working
mission to Mbandaka.

A total of 12 650 screenings of travellers were carried out at 11
out of 16 points of control (PoC), 69% of the total.
Two alerts were notified and reported to the surveillance
commission and teams continued to evaluate the PoCs.

On 5 June 2020, five samples, (4 blood samples and 1 swab)
were received by the laboratory, with three blood samples and
the swab analysed; none were positive for Ebola virus.

Vaccination with rVSV-ZEBOV-GP started on 5 June 2020; 100
people, including 98 first line providers and two contacts of
contacts were vaccinated. In addition, 25 local providers were
briefed in order to reinforce the vaccination teams.

There were no new admissions of suspected or confirmed
patients on 5 June 2020. Four patients are admitted to the Ebola
treatment centre (ETC) in Wangata, 2 confirmed and 2 suspected
cases. An additional suspected case is being treated at the
regional hospital in Wangata.

Three confirmed cases are reluctant to be transferred to the
ETC and remain in the community. The communication and
psychosocial care commissions are continuing to negotiate with
them and the community in order to facilitate their transfer to
the ETC.

Psychosocial support was provided to the four cases in the ETC
in Wangata as well as their families and friends, with teams
providing psycho-educational sessions for the families of
suspected cases resistant to investigation.

Four health facilities, as well as three households identified
around the first cases were decontaminated on 5 June 2020, and
two teams of hygienists were provided to the Mbandaka Health
Zone; a risk assessment around exposure of health providers
was carried out.

Risk communication, mobilization and community engagement
is being carried out, with 300 posters placed in Mbandaka town,
and in the four health areas of Bolenge Health Zone.

A road map with a statement of needs has been developed, and
a rapid anthropological survey is underway in the Air Congo
district, Ipeko health area in the Mbandak Health Zone to guide
sensitization activities to overcome community resistance to
response activities.

The security situation has remained relatively calm.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

This new outbreak of EVD comes in the context of a country already
burdened with a long-standing EVD outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri,
the COVID-19 outbreak (affecting mainly Kinshasa), an ongoing measles
outbreak and a complex humanitarian crisis. Mbandaka is a large town
with a population of 1.2 million people with air and river links to Kinshasa
and Boende, increasing the risk of localised spread. The risk of disruption
to surveillance and routine public health activities as a result of the
COVID-19 response will potentially harm the country’s ability to rapidly
contain the re-emergence of EVD. Public health measures, particularly
a strong and robust surveillance system, required to detect, isolate and
treat new suspected cases as early as possible is required to break any
new chains of transmission, along with full community engagement with
response measures.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332302/OEW23-0107062020.pdf

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...-ebola-outbreak-dr-congo-200615112609457.html


17 infected, 11 dead in new Ebola outbreak in DR Congo
Announcement comes as the African nation battles to control a measles epidemic and the spread of coronavirus.
4 hours ago

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 17 Ebola cases in a new outbreak of the deadly virus in the western province of Equateur and 11 of those infected have died, health officials said on Monday.

Authorities reported 12 infections last week in the central African country, whose dilapidated health system is also combating a measles epidemic that has killed more than 6,000 people and COVID-19, which has infected about 4,800 and killed 112...

 

[Pathfinder]

WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 24: 8 - 14 June 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 14 June 2020
...

Ebola virus disease Democratic Republic of the Congo

(?quateur Province)

17 Cases
11 Deaths
64.7% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in ?quateur Province,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, continues to evolve. Since our last
report (Weekly Bulletin 23), five additional confirmed EVD cases and five
deaths have been reported. Two new health zones, Bolomba and Iboko,
reported confirmed EVD cases during the reporting period – bringing the
number of affected health zones to five. As of 13 June 2020, a total of
17 EVD cases (14 confirmed and three probable) with 11 deaths (case
fatality ratio 64.7%) have been reported in five health zones: Mbandaka
(6 confirmed, 3 probable, 7 deaths), Bikoro (3 confirmed, 3 deaths),
Wangata (2 confirmed, 1 death), Bolomba (2 confirmed) and Iboko (1
confirmed). The case fatality ratio among confirmed cases is 57.1%
(8 deaths/14 confirmed cases). Two health workers are among the
confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak, 11.8% of all cases.

Iboko Health Zone, the newly affected health zone that reported
confirmed EVD case on 12 June 2020, is 240 km from Mbandaka.
The confirmed case-patient was not a listed contact and has not
been vaccinated. Preliminary investigations show that he lives in Air
Congo, in the Mbandaka Health Zone, which is currently affected by the
outbreak. Additionally, the only surviving case from the Bikoro Health
Zone died on 12 June 2020. As of 13 June 2020, nine health areas in
affected health zones have reported cases, including two in Bikoro, one
in Bolomba, one in Iboko, three in Mbandaka and two in Wangata.

A total of 49 new contacts were recorded as of 13 June 2020, with 47 in
Mbandaka and two in Wangata. There are 923 contacts under follow-up,
of which 639 (69.2%) have been seen in the past 24 hours. On 13 June
2020, 21 alerts with one death were reported. Of these 20 (95.2%) were
investigated and four (20.0%) were validated as new suspected cases.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The Representative of the Special Assistant to the Secretary General
of the United Nations, the Resident Coordinator and the Humanitarian
Affairs Coordinator carried out a working mission to Mbandaka on
12 June 2020, in order to see what response was needed on the
ground.

A multidisciplinary group covering all response pillars was deployed
to Bolomoba, 250 km from Mbandaka on 12 June 2020.

On 13 June 2020, 6 384 travellers were screened among the 5 780
registered at the 14/16 active PoCs that reported. Since the start of
the response, a total of 134 569 screenings of travellers were carried
out among 140 360 travellers registered at the active PoCs.

A screening tent was installed in the port of Onatra on 13 June 2020.

As of 13 June 2020, seven samples were received in the Mbandaka
laboratory, of which five were tested; none were positive for Ebola
virus. Since the start of the response, 77 samples have been tested.

A total of 200 people, including 80 in Mbandaka, 40 in Wangata, 40
in Bikoro and 40 in Bolomba were vaccinated with rVSV-ZEBOV-GP
on 13 June 2020.

Since 5 June 2020, a total of 2 514 people have been vaccinated,
including 806 contacts, 1 574 contacts of contacts and 134 probable
contacts. There are six vaccination rings, with four in Mbandaka, one
in Bikoro and one in Bolomba.

One confirmed case was admitted to the Wangata ETC, with
two suspected cases under observation in the transit centre at
Mbankanda General Referral Hospital. Negotiations are ongoing to
transfer the remaining two confirmed cases in the community and to
transfer the case newly confirmed on 12 June 2020 to an isolation
facility.

The two confirmed cases in Bolomba remain isolated at the reference
hospital in Bolomba, while the confirmed case in Iboko is being
cared for at the Itipo reference health centre in the Iboko Health Zone.

Training modules for ETC staff have been finalised, and 27 health
workers in Bolombo Health Zone were briefed on EVD prevention
measures and the use of personal protective equipment.

Infection prevention and control measures continue with IPC
assessments of health facilities in the health areas of Mbandaka Health
Zone; an IPC team travelled to Iboko Health Zone to decontaminate
the health facility after confirmation of a case, along with briefing five
hygienists and Red Cross volunteers in the same visit. IPC activities
were carried out in the Bolomba Health Zone.

To date 40 leaders of associations in the Bolenge, Mbandaka and
Wangata health zones have been made aware of EVD prevention
measures, with leaflets distributed; 50 households in the Libiki health
area, Mbandaka Health Zone were sensitized on EVD prevention,
with the commission providing support to the communication teams
in the various active health zones.

The security situation remains relatively calm with the exception of
some isolated cases of resistance to response interventions.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

This new outbreak of EVD comes in the context of a country already
burdened with a long-standing EVD outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri, the
COVID-19 outbreak (affecting mainly Kinshasa), an ongoing measles
outbreak and a complex humanitarian crisis. Mbandaka is a large town with
a population of 1.2 million people with air and river links to Kinshasa and
Boende, and there has already been local spread to Bolomoba, which is 240
km away. In addition, there are already isolated incidences of resistance
to response, which leads to disruption of case finding, contact tracing
and follow-up, in particular. The risk of disruption to surveillance and
routine public health activities as a result of the COVID-19 response will
potentially harm the country’s ability to rapidly contain the re-emergence of
EVD. Public health measures, particularly a strong and robust surveillance
system, required to detect, isolate and treat new suspected cases as early
as possible is required to break any new chains of transmission, along with
full community engagement with response measures.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332416/OEW24-0814062020.pdf

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Equateur: clashes between the police and the population this Wednesday in Mbandaka

17.06.2020,
-
Scuffles this Wednesday June 17 between the police and some young people from Mbandaka 1 around the management of a corpse.

According to witnesses, it is the remains of a young biker who died, probably from Ebola virus disease, at home on Ekota Avenue.

Before losing his life, the biker had transported an ebola patient a few days ago.

His body was exposed in the public square in defiance of health emergency measures, it is said.

"There is a biker who died and his friends did not want his immediate burial according to the instructions of the head of state, F?lix-Anthoine Tshisekedi. When the police came to put order, it created the scuffles between the police and the young people of the Air Congo district ", indicates a witness who adds that" the governor went down to the place of mourning to try to calm the situation, these young people threw stones which reached the governor. PM soldiers who calmed the situation and arrested some young people. "

Some wounded were recorded on the part of others, indicates the same source.

The security service uprooted the lifeless body which he went to bury in the cemetery of Bolenge in the respect of the barrier gestures, indicated the president of the Communication commission of the response against the ebola virus disease and Covid-19 to Mbandaka, Rossi Bolekwa who attended the funeral.

Prince Wello
MEDIA CONGO PRESS / mediacongo.net

https://www.mediacongo.net/article-actualite-70789_equateur_echauffourees_entre_la_police_et_la _population_ce_mercredi_a_mbandaka.html

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

DRC-Ebola: new death in Bikoro

A new confirmed case of Ebola was reported by the Iyembe moko disease response team in Bikoro territory (Ecuador). The 35-year-old man, who was not listed as a contact, died last Wednesday. Which brings back to 4 cases and 4 deaths in this corner of Equateur.

Since the start of the 11th epidemic in this province, the cumulative number is 18 cases, including 15 confirmed and 3 probable. There were 12 deaths including 9 confirmed and 3 probable.

The 5 affected areas are: Bikoro: 4 confirmed cases, including 4 deaths (6 days without confirmed cases for Ikoko-Bonginda and 0 days for Iyembe Moke); Bolamba: 2 confirmed cases (7 days without confirmed cases); Iboko: 1 confirmed case (5 days without confirmed cases for Butela); Mbandaka: 6 confirmed cases, including 4 deaths and 3 probable cases (14 days without confirmed cases for the Ipeko and Maman W'Elikya health areas and 11 days for Libiki); Wangata: 2 confirmed cases, including 1 death (14 days without confirmed cases for Losanganya and for Wangata).

 

[Shiloh]

21 cases; 13 deaths: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/dr-congo-reports-new-deaths-due-to-ebola-outbreak/1885785

 

[Pathfinder]

WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 25: 15 - 21 June 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 21 June 2020
...
Ebola virus disease Democratic Republic of the Congo
(?quateur Province)

23 Cases
13 Deaths
56% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in ?quateur Province,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, continues to evolve. Since our
last report (Weekly Bulletin 24), six additional confirmed EVD cases
and two new deaths have been reported. Two of the new confirmed
cases were in the Iboko Health Zone. As of 20 June 2020, a total of
23 EVD cases (20 confirmed and three probable) with 13 deaths
(case fatality ratio 57%) have been reported in five health zones:
Mbandaka (6 confirmed, 3 probable, 7 deaths), Bikoro (5 confirmed,
3 deaths), Wangata (2 confirmed, 1 death), Bolomba (4 confirmed,
1 death) and Iboko (3 confirmed). The case fatality ratio among
confirmed cases is 57% (10 deaths/20 confirmed cases). Two
health workers are among the confirmed cases since the start of the
outbreak, 8.7% of all cases.

Preliminary information on the two newly confirmed cases in Iboko
Health Zone indicates that these people may have been in contact
with the first confirmed case in this health zone, reported on 5 June
2020. However, only one case patient was listed as a contact. Twenty-
two (96%) confirmed and probable cases have been reported in the last
21 days, between 31 May 2020 and 20 June 2020.

There are five out of 18 (28%) of health zones and 11 out of
281 (3.9%) health areas affected since the start of this 11th EVD
outbreak.

A total of 51 new contacts were recorded as of 20 June 2020, with
11 in Bikoro, 33 in Bolomba and seven in Iboko. There are 1 751
contacts under follow-up, of which 1 464 (84%) have been seen in
the past 24 hours. On 20 June 2020, 119 alerts, including 72 new,
with six deaths were reported. Of these 86 (72%) were investigated
and 23 (27%) were validated as new suspected cases.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

Regular coordination meetings continue and two epidemiologists
were deployed to the Bikoro Health Zone to support the response
team.

On 20 June 2020, 6166 travellers were screened among
the 6 755 registered at the 15/16 active PoCs that reported
on 20 June 2020. Since the start of the response, a total of
159808 screenings of travellers were carried out among 153
209 travellers registered at the active PoCs. Eight alerts were
identified, of which two were validated.

As of 13 June 2020, seven samples were received in the
Mbandaka laboratory, of which five were tested; none were
positive for Ebola virus. Since the start of the response, 77
samples have been tested.

A total of 76 new people were vaccinated with rVSV-ZEBOV-GP
on 20 June 2020.

Since 5 June 2020, a total of 4 144 people have been vaccinated,
including 1 410 contacts, 2 587 contacts of contacts and 147
probable contacts. Three new vaccination rings were registered
on 20 June 2020, two in Bikoro and one in Lukolela.
Work on the Ebola treatment centre (ETC) in Bolomba was
completed on 20 June 2020.

A total of nine patients, including four confirmed and five
suspected patients were in isolation and being treated in the
various transit centres and ETCs, with three confirmed and five
suspected cases in the Bolomba ETC and one confirmed case at
the Itipo reference health centre in the Iboko Health Zone. One
suspected case absconded from the Bolomba ETC.

Infection prevention and control measures continue and three
health facilities in the Wangata Health Zone and one in Mbandaka
Health Zone were monitored and supported, with 16 providers
briefed on patient screening and standard IPC precautions and
preparation of chlorine solution. A triage circuit was set up in
two health facilities in Mbandaka Health Zone, with one receiving
handwashing kits.

A safe and dignified burial was completed in Mbandaka Health
Zone.

On 20 June 2020, 37 households were visited in Bolenge and
Bolomoba health zones and four educational talks were conducted
with families of confirmed cases in the Bolombo Likolo health
area, Bolomba Health Zone, with further community engagement
activities conducted in the same area.

The security situation remains relatively calm with the exception
of some isolated cases of resistance to response interventions.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

This new outbreak of EVD continues to evolve, with new confirmed cases
and deaths and unfortunate incidences of suspected cases absconding
into the community. However, all pillars of response are active in the
affected areas and contacts are being followed up where possible.

Community engagement is underway and there are few incidences of
resistance to the response. Public health measures, particularly a strong
and robust surveillance system, required to detect, isolate and treat new
suspected cases as early as possible is required to break any new chains
of transmission, along with full community engagement with response
measures. Response to COVID-19 should complement and not detract
from EVD response activities.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332594/OEW25-1521062020.pdf

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Equateur-Ebola: a new positive case confirmed in Bikoro

The Ebola virus disease technical secretariat confirms 1 new positive case in the Bikoro health zone, specifically in Ikoko Bonginda. No new deaths have been reported.

This eleventh epidemic was declared on June 1 in the province of Equateur. Since then, there have been 24 cases, including 21 confirmed and 3 probable. In total, there were 13 deaths (10 confirmed and 3 probable).

Five health zones are affected, namely, Bikoro: 6 confirmed cases, including 4 deaths (0 days without confirmed cases for Ikoko-Bonginda and 4 days for Iyembe Moke); Bolamba: 4 confirmed cases, including 1 death (11 days without confirmed cases in Bolomba, 1 in Bosoisongo and Bosomondomba); Iboko: 3 confirmed cases (1 day without confirmed cases for Butela); Mbandaka: 6 confirmed cases, including 4 deaths and 3 probable cases (18 days without confirmed cases for the Ipeko and Maman W'Elikya health areas and 15 days for Libiki); Wangata: 2 confirmed cases, including 1 death (18 days without confirmed cases for Losanganya and for Wangata).

https://actualite.cd/2020/06/23/equa...onfirme-bikoro