Published Date: 2008-12-27 17:00:41
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KS), WHO
Archive Number: 20081227.4086

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (KASAI OCCIDENTAL), WHO
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Date: Fri 26 Dec 2008
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert
and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news [edited]
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_12_26a/en/index.html>


Ebola haemorrhagic fever, Democratic Republic of the Congo
----------------------------------------------------------
The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
[Congo DR] declared on 25 Dec 2008 an outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic
fever in Mweka District, Kasai Occidental province based on
laboratory results from the Centre International de Recherches
Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF) in Gabon. CIRMF confirmed the
presence of Ebola virus in 2 samples from 2 of the patients in the
outbreak by antigen detection. In addition, laboratory tests
conducted by the Institut National de Recherches Biologiques (INRB)
in Kinshasa, also confirmed the presence of _Shigella_.

As of Fri 26 Dec 2008, WHO is aware of 34 suspected cases including 9
deaths (CFR [case fatality rate] 26 percent) associated with the
ongoing event. Additional samples have been collected and are en
route to INRB.

The WHO Country Office, Regional Office, and Headquarters are
supporting the MoH in Kinshasa and in the field at the location of
the outbreak. In addition, the WHO Country Office is supporting the
operational costs of the investigation and response teams and has
deployed 4 vehicles to the field. Additional staff, outbreak response
equipment, and supplies, including personal protective equipment
(PPE), are also being sent to the area. An enhanced team of national
and international experts is being mobilized to implement control
strategies for Ebola haemorrhagic fever and to support outbreak field
response in the province.

WHO is working together with laboratory partners to provide
comprehensive laboratory services, and to support the MoH in the
control and investigation of the outbreak. WHO is unaware of any
reports signaling the international spread of disease and advises
against the application of any travel or trade restrictions upon the
Democratic Republic of the Congo

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Marianne Hopp

[Maps of the Democratic Republic of the Congo DR can be accessed at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/congo_demrep_pol98.jpg>
and the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=214139&v=-4.5,22,5>.
The location of Mweka District can be found at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mweka,_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo>.

Mweka is a town in southern-central Democratic Republic of the Congo,
situated on the Kasai railway line between Kananga (250 km/155 mi
away) and the Kasai River port of Ilebo (172 km/107 mi away). Mweka
is the headquarters of the Territoire de Mweka (administrative
district) of Kasai-Occidental province. According to the Wikipedia
website, although "remote" is the default international media
description for any Congo DR town outside Kinshasa, Mweka is
relatively accessible by the standards of the country. Mweka Airport
is 372 nm (690 km/428 mi) east of Kinshasa.

Beginning in late August 2007, the Territoire de Mweka was the site
of an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which had killed more than
100 people by 30 Aug 2007, including all those who attended the
funerals of 2 village chiefs (see
<http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/mourners-die-as-fever-grips-congo/2007/08/30/1188067243698.html>).

The number fatalities and the number of suspected cases in the
current outbreak have not increased since the previous report form
the region. A new observation of unknown significance is the presence
of _Shigella_ in samples sent to the INRB Kinshasa for investigation.
Further information and clarification is awaited. - Mod.CP]

See Also

Undiagnosed illness - Congo DR (02): (KS), Ebola conf. 20081225.4068
Undiagnosed illness - Congo DR: (Kasai) RFI 20081222.4027
Undiagnosed illness - Congo DR: Kasai Occ, Ebola susp, RFI 20081009.3200
Hemorrhagic fever, fatal - Congo DR: (KA), RFI 20080823.2630
Monkeypox - Congo DR (Bokungu) 20080714.2141
Ebola hemorrhagic fever, suspected - Congo DR (02) 20080702.2017
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: susp., corr. 20080604.1790
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: susp., corr. 20080604.1789
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: susp. 20080603.1779
2007
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (13): 20071121.3758
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (11): WHO 20071003.3270
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (10) 20071003.3265
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (09) 20071001.3245
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (09): WHO 20070927.3204
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (08) 20070926.3191
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (07) 20070923.3156
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (06) 20070921.3138
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (05): WHO 20070920.3132
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (04) 20070916.3076
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): WHO 20070914.3049
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02) 20070912.3026
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR 20070910.2996
Undiagnosed illness - Congo DR (Kasai Occidental): WHO, RFI 20070901.2882
Viral hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (Kasai Occidental): susp. 20070829.2837
2006
----
Ebola, primates - Congo Rep.: 20061208.3462
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon/Congo Rep: prediction 20061119.3308
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: susp. 20060315.0806
2005
----
Ebola virus, bats - Central Africa 20051201.3467
Ebola Zaire virus - Africa: wave-like spread 20051029.3158
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. (07) 20050622.1756
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. 20050520.1382
Undiagnosed deaths - Congo Rep. (04): Ebola confirmed 20050518.1358
Undiagnosed deaths - Congo Rep. (03): Ebola susp 20050514.1321
Ebola hemorrhagic fever, wildlife - Gabon/Congo Rep. 20050215.0511
2004
----
Ebola, primates - Congo Rep.: susp. 20040827.2400
2003
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever, apes - Congo Rep. (04) 20030404.0824
Ebola hemorrhagic fever, apes - Congo Rep. (03) 20030321.0705
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. (17) 20030310.0587
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. (16) 20030307.0565
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. (15) 20030304.0543
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep. (12) 20030227.0489
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep: suspected 20030205.0315
2002
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon: suspected 20020624.4593
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo Rep: confirmed 20020613.4492
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon/Congo Rep (05) 20020107.3189
2001
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon: dead wildlife (03) 20011220.3079
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Gabon: dead wildlife 20011216.3041
Viral hemorrhagic fever, suspected - Congo, DR (03) 20011210.2991
...................................cp/mj/lm


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