Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

[Shiloh]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

Source: http://news.stv.tv/world/131789-south-sudan-finds-no-sign-of-feared-ebola-outbreak/


South Sudan finds no sign of feared Ebola outbreak

JUBA, Sudan (Reuters) - Health officials said they had found no evidence to back up reports of a suspected outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in south Sudan, suggesting locals may have made it up to draw doctors to the underdeveloped area. South Sudan's army this month said 20 soldiers and three of their wives had died of a haemorrhagic illness feared to be Ebola in barracks in the remote Western Bahr el Ghazal region, news that sparked widespread concern in the territory.

21 October 2009 16:28 PM


JUBA, Sudan (Reuters) - Health officials said they had found no evidence to back up reports of a suspected outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in south Sudan, suggesting locals may have made it up to draw doctors to the underdeveloped area.

South Sudan's army this month said 20 soldiers and three of their wives had died of a haemorrhagic illness feared to be Ebola in barracks in the remote Western Bahr el Ghazal region, news that sparked widespread concern in the territory.

The south's health ministry told Reuters on Wednesday it had since visited the area and found no signs of the disease.

"Our team went there and they did not find any cases ... They did not find any deaths as was reported ... They concluded there was no Ebola," said Atem Nathan the ministry official charged with investigating the outbreak.

Nathan said that the reports were likely a cry for help for more medical care by people living in the war-ravaged area.

"It is the lack of services that turns into these rumours," he said, adding that during the Sudan's long north-south civil war, communities sometimes made up outbreaks to attract humanitarian assistance to their areas.

South Sudan's army said the director of its medical corps had also visited the barracks and reached the same conclusion.

"It seems that the report by both the local county administration and the SPLA (the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army) command about the deaths of the 23 soldiers was something to draw attention ... to the acute lack of medicine in Raja County," said SPLA spokesman Kuol Diem Kuol.

"They have succeeded. Now medicines are being taken there."

South Sudan ended a two-decade civil war with the north in 2005, but still has little health infrastructure and few medical staff.

The World Health Organisation says Ebola, one of the most virulent viral diseases known to mankind, was discovered in south Sudan and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976. Some strains have a death rate of 25 to 90 percent.

A 2004 outbreak of Ebola killed seven people in the south. Health officials say there is still no known cure for the disease, which is spread through bodily fluids, including blood.

(Reporting by Skye Wheeler, editing by Andrew Heavens and Ralph Boulton)

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

Source: http://news.stv.tv/world/131789-south-sudan-finds-no-sign-of-feared-ebola-outbreak/


.

"Our team went there and they did not find any cases ... They did not find any deaths as was reported ... They concluded there was no Ebola," said Atem Nathan the ministry official charged with investigating the outbreak.

Nathan said that the reports were likely a cry for help for more medical care by people living in the war-ravaged area.

"It is the lack of services that turns into these rumours," he said, adding that during the Sudan's long north-south civil war, communities sometimes made up outbreaks to attract humanitarian assistance to their areas.


(Reporting by Skye Wheeler, editing by Andrew Heavens and Ralph Boulton)

Umm, wow. That would explain why the symptoms didn't match and kept varying - there was no outbreak at all. I knew something was wrong. There is this mythical description of VHF as a powerful virus killing you within 24 hours by making you bleed to death out of every hole in your body. That's not how these diseases work. While they cause bleeding, death is usually due to multi-organ failure, not blood loss. And it usually takes a week or more from onset to death.

This is also one of the main reasons for false outbreak reports - to draw attention to poor/nonexistent medical facilities in the area.

 

[Roehl_JC]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

first it seems like they're really concerned, then there's silence, and lastly, a soothing rejoinder of mollifying platitudes saying pretty much 'no big news here', 'move along', it's all been resolved or simply silence

as I wrote last week, it appears to be the same old, same old song...which I do not believe, since there's the same spinning going on in Sudan as seen elsewheres. good luck finding out what actually happened, unless the CDC actually DID get samples and says something later.

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

We'll see, but I believe Shiloh's article. There were too many things wrong with that story, and that would explain it. I don't think the CDC got samples, because I don't think there were any samples to take. I don't think anyone bled or died.

This new story should produce a VERY angry respose from ProMed. ProMed doesn't like false reports of outbreaks for political reasons...

 

[Roehl_JC]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - army

"B]The only positive news is that
blood samples have been sent to the US CDC in Atlanta for analysis,
although it is not clear how this has been achieved since attempts to reach
the affected area have been thwarted by heavy rain and its remoteness[/B][/COLOR]."

above item was mentioned in the ProMed article

OK Alert, agree with you, but ProMed will still have to explain how they came to know that blood samples were sent to the CDC...don't they bother to call the CDC and verify?
I still think there are too many stories coming out of Egypt and N. Africa to completely dismiss the chances of some VHF in Sudan, but I have to agree with you that it may simply be a cry for more doctors.

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

ProMed uses the publicly available articles. One of the earlier articles in this thread said that samples were being sent to the CDC.

ProMed has contacts in the CDC and other official places, but ProMed gets most of its information from articles submitted to them. I can't find the source now, but I read a ProMed claim somewhere that 1 in 50 reports they receive of outbreaks turns out to be false. This kind of thing happens. And when it does, this is the leading reason for it.

I look forward to posting the ProMed report.

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

Not the ProMed report yet, but another source confirming that this was a rumor. Note the angry political comments on this article (at the link - won't post here), blaming the government, and accusing them of not investigating thoroughly. This entire thread had a strong political undercurrent.

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article32863

South Sudan mysterious disease was a rumor - officials
Thursday 22 October 2009 03:00. Printer-Friendly version Comments...

October 21, 2009 (JUBA) – Southern Sudan health ministry said there are no evidence to support reports about Ebola outbreak in the semi autonomous region. The officials said the mysterious disease was just a rumor.

GOSS ministry of health sent a medical team to the remote village of Kitkit in western Bahr el Ghazal State where reportedly 23 people were died from a mysterious illness suspected to be Ebola.

"Our team went there and they did not find any cases ... They did not find any deaths as was reported ... They concluded there was no Ebola," said Atem Nathan the ministry official charged with investigating the outbreak.

The Southern Sudanese official told Reuters that the mission found no sign for the disease. He further said the report, which is now turned to rumor, was a cry to draw the attention of the concerned authorities on the need for medical care there.

"It is the lack of services that turns into these rumors," he said, adding that during the Sudan’s long north-south civil war, communities sometimes made up outbreaks to attract humanitarian assistance to their areas.

South Sudan’s army spokesperson said they reached the same conclusion, after investigating the case there.

"It seems that the report by both the local county administration and the SPLA command about the deaths of the 23 soldiers was something to draw attention ... to the acute lack of medicine in Raja County," said SPLA spokesman Kuol Diem Kuol.

"They have succeeded. Now medicines are being taken there." He further said.

(ST)

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

And the ProMed response comes. Not the one I expected. They are actually okay with the local population spreading this rumor to improve their health situation.

I had failed to notice the major difference between this situation and the false rumors of rare disease outbreaks ProMed busted in the past: There was no outbreak at all here, and the people themselves were just trying to improve their health situation. The false postings that result in angry comments by ProMed occur when health authorities report phantom outbreaks of rare diseases to cover up real outbreaks of common diseases. That situation gets ProMed disapproval because it actually worsens the local situation by failing to recognize or treat the common illnesses. But that wasn't what happened here.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,79731

Archive Number 20091022.3632
Published Date 22-OCT-2009
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (03): (WB) NOT

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - SUDAN (03): (WEST BAHR AL-GHAZAL) NOT
***************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Wed 21 Oct 2009
Source: Reuters Africa [edited]
<http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE59K0NR20091021>


South Sudan finds no sign of feared [ebolavirus infection] outbreak
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Health officials said they had found no evidence to back up reports
of a suspected outbreak of the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever in
south Sudan, suggesting locals may have made it up to draw doctors to
the underdeveloped area.

South Sudan's army this month [October 2009] said 20 soldiers and 3
of their wives had died of a haemorrhagic illness feared to be [an
ebolavirus infection] in barracks in the remote Western Bahr
al-Ghazal region, news that sparked widespread concern in the territory.

The south's health ministry told Reuters on Wednesday [21 Oct 2009]
it had since visited the area and found no signs of the disease. "Our
team went there and they did not find any cases ... They did not find
any deaths as was reported ... They concluded there was no Ebola
haemorrhagic fever outbreak," said Atem Nathan the ministry official
charged with investigating the outbreak. Nathan said that the reports
were likely a cry for help for more medical care by people living in
the war-ravaged area. "It is the lack of services that turns into
these rumours," he said, adding that during the Sudan's long
north-south civil war, communities sometimes made up outbreaks to
attract humanitarian assistance to their areas.

South Sudan's army said the director of its medical corps had also
visited the barracks and reached the same conclusion. "It seems that
the report by both the local county administration and the SPLA (the
southern Sudan People's Liberation Army) command about the deaths of
the 23 soldiers [that is, 20 soldiers and 3 of their wives] was
something to draw attention to the acute lack of medicine in Raja
County," said SPLA spokesman Kuol Diem Kuol. "They have succeeded.
Now medicines are being taken there." South Sudan ended a 2-decade
civil war with the north in 2005, but still has little health
infrastructure and few medical staff.

The World Health Organisation says Ebola haemorrhagic fever, one of
the most virulent viral diseases known to mankind, was discovered in
south Sudan and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo in
1976. Some strains have a death rate of 25 to 90 percent. A 2004
outbreak of [ebolavirus infection] killed 7 people in the south.
Health officials say there is still no known cure for the disease,
which is spread through bodily fluids, including blood.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The news that Ebola haemorrhagic fever has not reappeared in Sudan
is welcome, and the initiative of the local population in using the
rumour to improve their circumstances is a satisfactory outcome.

A map showing the location of the state of West Bahr-al-Ghazal can be
viewed at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Bahr_el_Ghazal>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Sudan can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00UR>. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (02): (WB) susp 20091016.3562
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan: (WB) susp. RFI 20091008.3482
2004
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (09) 20040807.2180
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (08) 20040706.1810
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (07) 20040622.1668
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (06) 20040618.1626
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (05) 20040612.1581
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W. Equatoria) (04) 20040609.1547
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W Equatoria): (03) 20040602.1500
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W Equatoria): (02) 20040527.1435
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (W Equatoria) 20040525.1404]
...................................mpp/cp/mj/mpp

 

[Roehl_JC]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

Thanks Alert ))
We all appreciate your work getting this cleared up!

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

That was it in post #48.

 

[alert]

Re: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak kills 23 in south Sudan - unfounded

And the ProMed EAFR denial. The bold text is interesting.

http://eafr.promedmail.org/

ProMED-EAFR:East Africa

View printable version
Published Date
2009-10-24 02:07:40
Subject
PRO/EAFR> Viral hemorrhagic fever - Sudan (04): (West Bahr
Archive Number
20091024.203264
Full Text
VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - SUDAN (04): (WEST BAHR AL-GHAZAL) NOT
***************************************************************
Date: Wed 21 Oct 2009
Source: Reuters [edited]
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE59K0NR20091021


South Sudan finds no sign of feared [ebolavirus infection] outbreak
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Health officials said they had found no evidence to back up reports
of a suspected outbreak of the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever in
south Sudan, suggesting locals may have made it up to draw doctors to
the underdeveloped area.

South Sudan's army this month [October 2009] said 20 soldiers and 3
of their wives had died of a haemorrhagic illness feared to be [an
ebolavirus infection] in barracks in the remote Western Bahr
al-Ghazal region, news that sparked widespread concern in the territory.

The south's health ministry told Reuters on Wednesday [21 Oct 2009]
it had since visited the area and found no signs of the disease. "Our
team went there and they did not find any cases ... They did not find
any deaths as was reported ... They concluded there was no Ebola
haemorrhagic fever outbreak," said Atem Nathan the ministry official
charged with investigating the outbreak. Nathan said that the reports
were likely a cry for help for more medical care by people living in
the war-ravaged area. "It is the lack of services that turns into
these rumours," he said, adding that during the Sudan's long
north-south civil war, communities sometimes made up outbreaks to
attract humanitarian assistance to their areas.

South Sudan's army said the director of its medical corps had also
visited the barracks and reached the same conclusion. "It seems that
the report by both the local county administration and the SPLA (the
southern Sudan People's Liberation Army) command about the deaths of
the 23 soldiers [that is, 20 soldiers and 3 of their wives] was
something to draw attention to the acute lack of medicine in Raja
County," said SPLA spokesman Kuol Diem Kuol. "They have succeeded.
Now medicines are being taken there." South Sudan ended a 2-decade
civil war with the north in 2005, but still has little health
infrastructure and few medical staff.

The World Health Organisation says Ebola haemorrhagic fever, one of
the most virulent viral diseases known to mankind, was discovered in
south Sudan and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo in
1976. Some strains have a death rate of 25 to 90 percent.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[This report indicates that after thorough epidemiological and
laboratory investigations by a team of scientists, there is no
evidence of a viral hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Western Bahr
al-Ghazal, in Southern Sudan. This rapid verification of rumors of
disease outbreaks from the community is in line with the requirements
for countries under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)
and is meant to foster global public health security through timely
verification of all rumors with the intention of initiating timely
response to contain the disease locally and hence prevent
international spread (see < http://www.who.int/ihr/en/ >).