Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 5: 27 January - 2 February 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 2 February 2020
...
Measles Seychelles
34 Cases
0 Deaths
0% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
On 21 January 2020, the Ministry of Health in Seychelles notified
WHO of an outbreak of measles in Praslin, one of the Islands in
Seychelles. The event initially emerged on 17 January 2020 when
specimens obtained from three adult case-patients tested positive
for measles immunoglobulin M (IgM) at the Seychelles Public Health
laboratory. The index case in this outbreak is a 41-year-old man from
Amitie, Grand Anse Praslin who developed fever and generalized
maculopapular rash on 10 January 2020 and was admitted to
Baie Ste Anne Hospital on 13 January 2020. In the subsequent
days from 13 to 16 January 2020 (following the emergence of
the index case), three other case-patients presented with similar
clinical manifestation. Of the initial four suspected cases, specimens
collected from three case-patients turned out positive for measles
by serology on 17 January 2020.
As of 23 January 2020, a total of 34 suspected measles cases have
been reported, of whom nine tested positive for measles IgM. The
confirmed cases came from two districts in Praslin island: Grand
Anse Praslin (n=6) and Baie Saint Anne Praslin (n=3). To date, there
has been no reported death. The vaccination status of most of the
suspected cases was unknown and none them had any recent travel
history.
The majority of the reported cases are females, with this group
accounting for 65% (n=22) of the 34 suspected cases and 67%
(n=9) of the nine confirmed cases. Most (89%, n=8) of the confirmed
cases are at least 41 years old and only one case is four months old.
Samples have been collected and are currently in the process of
being shipped to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases
(NICD) in South Africa for genotyping.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
On 18 January 2020, the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press
release to inform the public of the measles outbreak, which was
followed by a press conference on 24 January 2020.
The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)
committee convened an emergency meeting on 20 January 2020
to discuss the measles outbreak preparedness and response
activities.
Public health officers are conducting active case finding and
contact tracing at household level daily.
Surveillance has been enhanced in healthcare facilities and
hospitals; the measles case definition has been disseminated to
all health facilities and all reported skin rash and fever cases are
being investigated for measles. Healthcare workers have been
trained on the case definition for measles as well as on the case
notification procedures.
Blood samples from suspected cases have been collected and
are currently in the process of being shipped to the NICD in
South Africa for genotyping.
Clinical guidelines for both adult and paediatric measles case
management have been disseminated to all clinicians.
The MoH is conducting public sensitization through press
conferences, media coverage and the MoH Facebook page.
Infection prevention and control measures have been reinforced
at the Baie St Anne’s hospital; an isolation ward was set-up upon
admission of the eight initial cases.
Procurement of Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccines is underway
to vaccinate the population born before 1989 with a second dose
of measles vaccine.
Vaccination of private health providers is ongoing; healthcare
providers from public health facilities had already been vaccinated
in the fourth quarter of 2019.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
Seychelles is currently experiencing an outbreak of measles, mainly
in adults. The country had been measles free in the past few years,
with the last outbreak occurring in 2006 and only one case recorded in
2018. Since the introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1989, the measles
vaccination coverage for infants has been estimated at 99%. Given the
great strides accomplished by Seychelles towards the elimination of
measles, the current outbreak is of concern. The national authorities
along with WHO and partners are working closely to prevent further
expansion of this outbreak. This is being done through reinforcing
public education and risk communication, rapidly detecting and isolating
measles cases to limit transmission in both healthcare settings and the
community and enhancing routine vaccination. It is also important to
investigate the genotype of the circulating virus in order to determine
the origin of this outbreak.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/330744/OEW05-270102022020.pdf
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 5: 27 January - 2 February 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 2 February 2020
...
Measles Seychelles
34 Cases
0 Deaths
0% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
On 21 January 2020, the Ministry of Health in Seychelles notified
WHO of an outbreak of measles in Praslin, one of the Islands in
Seychelles. The event initially emerged on 17 January 2020 when
specimens obtained from three adult case-patients tested positive
for measles immunoglobulin M (IgM) at the Seychelles Public Health
laboratory. The index case in this outbreak is a 41-year-old man from
Amitie, Grand Anse Praslin who developed fever and generalized
maculopapular rash on 10 January 2020 and was admitted to
Baie Ste Anne Hospital on 13 January 2020. In the subsequent
days from 13 to 16 January 2020 (following the emergence of
the index case), three other case-patients presented with similar
clinical manifestation. Of the initial four suspected cases, specimens
collected from three case-patients turned out positive for measles
by serology on 17 January 2020.
As of 23 January 2020, a total of 34 suspected measles cases have
been reported, of whom nine tested positive for measles IgM. The
confirmed cases came from two districts in Praslin island: Grand
Anse Praslin (n=6) and Baie Saint Anne Praslin (n=3). To date, there
has been no reported death. The vaccination status of most of the
suspected cases was unknown and none them had any recent travel
history.
The majority of the reported cases are females, with this group
accounting for 65% (n=22) of the 34 suspected cases and 67%
(n=9) of the nine confirmed cases. Most (89%, n=8) of the confirmed
cases are at least 41 years old and only one case is four months old.
Samples have been collected and are currently in the process of
being shipped to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases
(NICD) in South Africa for genotyping.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
On 18 January 2020, the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press
release to inform the public of the measles outbreak, which was
followed by a press conference on 24 January 2020.
The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)
committee convened an emergency meeting on 20 January 2020
to discuss the measles outbreak preparedness and response
activities.
Public health officers are conducting active case finding and
contact tracing at household level daily.
Surveillance has been enhanced in healthcare facilities and
hospitals; the measles case definition has been disseminated to
all health facilities and all reported skin rash and fever cases are
being investigated for measles. Healthcare workers have been
trained on the case definition for measles as well as on the case
notification procedures.
Blood samples from suspected cases have been collected and
are currently in the process of being shipped to the NICD in
South Africa for genotyping.
Clinical guidelines for both adult and paediatric measles case
management have been disseminated to all clinicians.
The MoH is conducting public sensitization through press
conferences, media coverage and the MoH Facebook page.
Infection prevention and control measures have been reinforced
at the Baie St Anne’s hospital; an isolation ward was set-up upon
admission of the eight initial cases.
Procurement of Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccines is underway
to vaccinate the population born before 1989 with a second dose
of measles vaccine.
Vaccination of private health providers is ongoing; healthcare
providers from public health facilities had already been vaccinated
in the fourth quarter of 2019.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
Seychelles is currently experiencing an outbreak of measles, mainly
in adults. The country had been measles free in the past few years,
with the last outbreak occurring in 2006 and only one case recorded in
2018. Since the introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1989, the measles
vaccination coverage for infants has been estimated at 99%. Given the
great strides accomplished by Seychelles towards the elimination of
measles, the current outbreak is of concern. The national authorities
along with WHO and partners are working closely to prevent further
expansion of this outbreak. This is being done through reinforcing
public education and risk communication, rapidly detecting and isolating
measles cases to limit transmission in both healthcare settings and the
community and enhancing routine vaccination. It is also important to
investigate the genotype of the circulating virus in order to determine
the origin of this outbreak.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/330744/OEW05-270102022020.pdf