ProMED Disease Outbreak Update

Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chikungunya in Central and South America, Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

Ebola

Location

Democratic Republic of Congo (North Kivu, Ituri), plus Ebola preparedness in Uganda
 

Outbreak Update

Epidemiological situation report, 5 May 2019, DRC Ministry of Health

The epidemiological situation of the Ebola virus disease in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri dated 4 May 2019:
 

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 1554, of which 1488 have been confirmed and 66 are probable. In total, there were 1029 deaths (963 confirmed and 66 probable) and 438 people healed;
• 213 suspected cases under investigation
• 9 new confirmed cases, including 3 in Katwa, 2 in Musienene, 2 in Mandima, 1 in Kalunguta, and 1 in Mabalako;
• 10 deaths of confirmed cases, including 6 community/hospital deaths -- 2 in Katwa, 2 in Mandima, and 2 in Musienene; 4 ETC/CT deaths -- 3 in Butembo and 1 in Mabalako;
• 4 new recoveries released from the Beni ETC.

Also see WHO dashboard

Map of Democratic Republic of Congo
 

Outbreak response

• Response activities were temporarily paralyzed in Butembo and nearby health areas on Sat 4 May 2019 following a demonstration by motorcycle taxi drivers who had placed wooden barricades on the main road arteries of Butembo town. Protesters also attacked handwashing devices throughout the city.
• An increase in the number of cases and deaths is expected in the coming days following this temporary cessation of response activities to limit the spread of the virus in the community.
• Since the start of vaccination on 8 Aug 2018, 111 579 people have been vaccinated.
• Fri 3 May 2019 - The Uganda Ministry of Health has received 10 motorcycles from World Health Organization (WHO) with support from Irish Embassy to enhance the surveillance and community engagement pillars in Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness activities. The motorcycles will enable district officers to mentor health staff at the health facilities and in the communities on the identification of alerts or suspected EVD cases, conduct prompt investigations and raise community index of suspicion for EVD. The motorcycles will be deployed in the 8 high-risk districts bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Uganda has NO confirmed case of EVD. Active case search continues in all communities, health facilities and on formal and informal border crossing in all districts, especially in the high-risk ones. Alert cases continue to be picked, isolated, treated and blood samples picked for testing by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).

See the full ProMED post here

Chikungunya

Location

Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, Indian Ocean (Maps showing the location of affected islands and countries can be accessed here)
 

Outbreak Update

Central America
 

• Honduras 16 Apr 2019 (Reported) 47 cases.

South America
 

• Bolivia 7 Apr 2019 (Reported) 9 cases compared to 21 cases last year (2018).
• Brazil 30 Apr 2019 (Registered) 24 120 cases with an incidence of 11.6 cases per 100 000 population.

Africa
 

• Republic of the Congo - WHO. 1 May 2019. As of 14 Apr 2019 (susp.) 6149 cases; 8 of 12 health departments affected: Kouilou, Bouenza, Pointe Noire, Plateaux, Pool, Niari, Lekoumou, and Brazzaville. Since the report of the 1st case on 7 Jan 2019, 47% of all cases have been reported from Kouilou Department.

Asia
 

• Depok, West Java, Indonesia 5 Apr 2019. (Reported) 17 cases in Ratujaya subdistrict
• Taiwan 1 May 2019. (Conf.) 1 case imported from Indonesia.
• India - Mysuru [Mysore] district, Karnataka state - 24 Apr 2019. (Reported) 6 cases/ Tamil Nadu - 4 May 2019. (Reported) 250 cases. Localities most affected: Dharmapuri, Salem, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Erode, Tiruchy, and Madurai.
• Thailand - 27 Apr 2019. As of 23 Apr 2019 (reported) 3141 cases.

Indian Ocean

Maldives - 25 Apr 2019. (Reported) 790 cases. Localities most affected: Thaa, Gaaf Alif, and Kaafu atolls.
 

See the full ProMED post here

Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

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