Congo Ebola outbreak reaches 1,600 cases, as armed clashes impede health work
protesters burned the triage service of Sainte Famille Mukuna hospital center in Katwa health zone.
WHO notes search for contacts in Kampala
In its latest weekly situation report, the World Health Organization (WHO) said events over the past week reflect a deteriorating security situation in Butembo, with threats of attacks persisting against some health facilities and providers in the wake of the latest violence.
Most of the 106 cases reported over the past week have been in Katwa, Mandima, Butembo, Musienene, Beni, and Mabalako health zones.
CIDRAP reports that to address the insecurity in Butembo, the WHO said the United Nations security management system will update the security risk management process by addressing procedural, operational, and security measures.
The number of infected health workers has grown to 95, one more than reported yesterday in the WHO’s regional officer report. Deaths in the group are at 34, also reflecting an increase of one.
In its review of contact tracing, the WHO said that on May 5 a 37-year-old man who is a known contact of an Ebola patient traveled from Beni to Kampala, Uganda, through the DRC border town of Kasindi for healthcare. However, information that he was missing didn’t reach the Kasindi entry point until the man had crossed the border already.
Investigators are trying to locate and monitor the man’s health status.
Officials weigh vaccine applications
On Twitter Wednesday, DRC health ministry reported 15 more Ebola infections, lifting the outbreak total to 1,600 cases. Officials said they will post the full report tomorrow.
Fourteen more people died from their infections, boosting the fatality count to 1,069.
Yesterday, the health ministry reported 13 new cases from seven locations, including 2 in Lubero, which hadn’t reported in a new infection in several weeks.
Regarding the alternative vaccination strategy recommendations the a WHO advisory group announced yesterday—which included adding the Johnson & Johnson Ad26.ZEBOV/MVA-BN vaccine—the health ministry said it hasn’t yet approved the use of another vaccine besides Merck’s VSV-EBOV. Authorities, however, said they have received applications for the use of three other vaccines and are considering them.
