Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 7: 7 – 13 February 2022
Data as reported by: 17:00; 13 February 2022
...
Measles Ethiopia
1 590 cases
13 Deaths
0.8% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Since early January 2022, Ethiopia has been experiencing a
measles outbreak. Three regions of SNNPR, Oromia and Somali
are most affected to-date with a total of 1 590 cases and 13
deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) = 0.8%) reported.
As of 9 February 2022, the SNNPR has reported the highest
number of infections with 1 005 cases (63.2%), followed by
Somali region with 495 cases (31.1%), and Oromia with 90 cases
(5.7%). Regarding deaths, the Somali region is leading with 9 out
of 13 (69.2%) deaths, then SNNPR region with 4 deaths (30.7%).
No death has been reported in Oromia region.
Among the eight districts reporting cases in SNNPR, South Ari
district has reported most cases with 449 cases (44.7%) and 0
deaths. In this district, 182 (40.5%) of the reported cases are
unvaccinated against measles and the most affected age group is
1-4 years (49.2%) and 5-9 years (33.0%) old. The identified risk
factors for a larger measles outbreak in this region are recurrent
conflict and interruption of routine immunization activities, high
rate of malnutrition, pastoralist or mobile communities, and the
low routine immunization coverage.
Regarding Somali region, Dollo Ado district has reported 410
cases (83.0%) with eight deaths (CFR= 1.9%). The 0-4 years age
group is the most affected (52.5%), followed by the 5-9 years
age group (31.8%). More than half of the cases, (74.0%; 303
cases) reported in Dollo Ado district are unvaccinated. Notably,
about 85.3% of the total cases reported in the Dollo Ado district
are from refugees’ settings. The identified risk factors for a larger
measles outbreak in this region are drought and malnutrition,
pastoralist/mobile communities who moves from one place to
the other, high influx of asylum seekers (300 - 350 families per
day) living in congregate settings, and low routine immunization
coverage (Measles-containing-vaccine second dose (MCV2)
immunization coverage in Dollo are 18%, 50% and 11% in 2019,
2020 and 2021, respectively).
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
The national technical working group, including the Ministry
of Health, local and international organizations has been
established and conducts regular coordination meetings.
An outbreak response plan is being developed focusing
on critical areas such as mass vaccination campaign,
capacity building of health workers to strengthen case
management, and integration of nutritional screening with
mass vaccination.
Cross-border coordination of Ethiopia-Somalia-Kenya
bordering districts has been initiated.
Active case search in both communities and health facilities
as well as outbreak investigations are ongoing.
Tents to serve as isolation centre were erected and equipped
for case management mostly in the refugees’ areas.
Mass social mobilisation and sensitization activities are
ongoing with involvement of religious and clan leaders to
support measles outbreak response and prevention activities.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
The ongoing measles outbreak occurs in a very complicated
country’s health and humanitarian context. The health context is
dominated by the response to COVID-19 pandemic, which has
already almost exhausted the health system, the co-existence of
other ongoing outbreaks in the country like cholera, circulating
vaccine-derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2), suspected meningitis etc.
The humanitarian context is aggravated by the ongoing armed
conflict in Tigray region, which is generating millions of internally
displaced persons, the presence of refugee camps living in difficult
conditions in the affected areas and the newly declared drought in
the Horn of Africa, which is impacting on the nutritional and food
situations for the population. All ingredients for the worsening
of this measles outbreak are in place and this calls for urgent
implementation of strong control measures.
PROPOSED ACTIONS
The support from humanitarian partners present in the
country is highly required to address the identified needs
and gaps. All the required resources should be immediately
mobilized to control this measles outbreak.
Measles routine vaccination coverage should be improved
in all affected and at-risk areas to reduce the risk of future
outbreaks.
...
View/Open
OEW07-0713022022.pdf (2.041Mb)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/351992
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 7: 7 – 13 February 2022
Data as reported by: 17:00; 13 February 2022
...
Measles Ethiopia
1 590 cases
13 Deaths
0.8% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Since early January 2022, Ethiopia has been experiencing a
measles outbreak. Three regions of SNNPR, Oromia and Somali
are most affected to-date with a total of 1 590 cases and 13
deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) = 0.8%) reported.
As of 9 February 2022, the SNNPR has reported the highest
number of infections with 1 005 cases (63.2%), followed by
Somali region with 495 cases (31.1%), and Oromia with 90 cases
(5.7%). Regarding deaths, the Somali region is leading with 9 out
of 13 (69.2%) deaths, then SNNPR region with 4 deaths (30.7%).
No death has been reported in Oromia region.
Among the eight districts reporting cases in SNNPR, South Ari
district has reported most cases with 449 cases (44.7%) and 0
deaths. In this district, 182 (40.5%) of the reported cases are
unvaccinated against measles and the most affected age group is
1-4 years (49.2%) and 5-9 years (33.0%) old. The identified risk
factors for a larger measles outbreak in this region are recurrent
conflict and interruption of routine immunization activities, high
rate of malnutrition, pastoralist or mobile communities, and the
low routine immunization coverage.
Regarding Somali region, Dollo Ado district has reported 410
cases (83.0%) with eight deaths (CFR= 1.9%). The 0-4 years age
group is the most affected (52.5%), followed by the 5-9 years
age group (31.8%). More than half of the cases, (74.0%; 303
cases) reported in Dollo Ado district are unvaccinated. Notably,
about 85.3% of the total cases reported in the Dollo Ado district
are from refugees’ settings. The identified risk factors for a larger
measles outbreak in this region are drought and malnutrition,
pastoralist/mobile communities who moves from one place to
the other, high influx of asylum seekers (300 - 350 families per
day) living in congregate settings, and low routine immunization
coverage (Measles-containing-vaccine second dose (MCV2)
immunization coverage in Dollo are 18%, 50% and 11% in 2019,
2020 and 2021, respectively).
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
The national technical working group, including the Ministry
of Health, local and international organizations has been
established and conducts regular coordination meetings.
An outbreak response plan is being developed focusing
on critical areas such as mass vaccination campaign,
capacity building of health workers to strengthen case
management, and integration of nutritional screening with
mass vaccination.
Cross-border coordination of Ethiopia-Somalia-Kenya
bordering districts has been initiated.
Active case search in both communities and health facilities
as well as outbreak investigations are ongoing.
Tents to serve as isolation centre were erected and equipped
for case management mostly in the refugees’ areas.
Mass social mobilisation and sensitization activities are
ongoing with involvement of religious and clan leaders to
support measles outbreak response and prevention activities.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
The ongoing measles outbreak occurs in a very complicated
country’s health and humanitarian context. The health context is
dominated by the response to COVID-19 pandemic, which has
already almost exhausted the health system, the co-existence of
other ongoing outbreaks in the country like cholera, circulating
vaccine-derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2), suspected meningitis etc.
The humanitarian context is aggravated by the ongoing armed
conflict in Tigray region, which is generating millions of internally
displaced persons, the presence of refugee camps living in difficult
conditions in the affected areas and the newly declared drought in
the Horn of Africa, which is impacting on the nutritional and food
situations for the population. All ingredients for the worsening
of this measles outbreak are in place and this calls for urgent
implementation of strong control measures.
PROPOSED ACTIONS
The support from humanitarian partners present in the
country is highly required to address the identified needs
and gaps. All the required resources should be immediately
mobilized to control this measles outbreak.
Measles routine vaccination coverage should be improved
in all affected and at-risk areas to reduce the risk of future
outbreaks.
...
View/Open
OEW07-0713022022.pdf (2.041Mb)
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/351992
