Published Date: 2009-01-24 18:00:43
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (06): (KS)
Archive Number: 20090124.0315

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (06):
(KASAI OCCIDENTAL)
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Date: Sat 24 Jan 2009
Source: Medecins san Frontieres, Field News [edited]
<http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=3359&ref=home-sidebar-right>


Ebola Outbreak is Under Control; Patients Discharged
----------------------------------------------------
All patients have been discharged from the Doctors Without Borders/
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) isolation center in Kampungu Western
Kasai [Kasai Occidental] province, in central Democratic Republic of
Congo (Congo DR), where they were being monitored for Ebola
hemorrhagic fever. The patients no longer presented symptoms and were
in good overall health.

Since the last confirmed Ebola patient died, on 1 Jan 2009, all
suspected patients' samples were analyzed and tested negative.
Patients who were brought into the isolation center stopped
presenting symptoms after a few days and no casualties occured. The 3
patients who were admitted last week [12-16 Jan 2009] were also
discharged as their tests came back negative.

"We can say that for now the outbreak is under control," said Rosa
Crestani, from the MSF emergency unit based in Brussels. "Until
yesterday, MSF teams were still monitoring around 100 people who had
been in contact with others suspected of or confirmed as having
Ebola, in order to prevent further possible transmission of the
disease. However, it has been 21 days since the last confirmed Ebola
case, which is the longest incubation period known. This means that
the contact people are not infected with the virus.

"On the other hand, one man who had been in the forest died yesterday
and presented some symptoms that make him a suspect case," added
Crestani. "The MSF teams are therefore on stand-by; the isolation
center remains open and they are ready to respond to new cases,
should they occur." Samples from the deceased man have been taken and
will be analyzed over the weekend.

To date, 48 patients have shown symptoms of Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
A total of 7 patients have tested positive for the Ebola virus after
sample analysis in laboratories. Of the 7 confirmed cases, 2 have
died. The 41 remaining patients were all suspected cases, of whom 12 have died.

MSF arrived in Kasai Occidental on 23 Dec 2008 after an Ebola
outbreak was declared in mid-December [2008]. Today, an MSF team of
15 is working in Kasai Occidental. The team consists of doctors,
nurses, water and sanitation specialists, health promoters,
logisticians, and a psychologist.

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

[The present situation seems to be that of 48 patients showing
symptoms of Ebola haemorrhagic fever, 7 patients tested positive for
Ebola virus infection, 2 of whom have died. Of the remaining 41
suspected Ebola patients (but without laboratory confirmation), 12 have died.

Recently a new arrival has died with Ebola-like symptoms and the
results of laboratory tests are awaited.

A map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be accessed at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/congo_demrep_pol98.jpg>, and
the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map is available at
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=214139&v=-4.5,22,5>.

The location of Mweka District (the site of the outbreak) can be found at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mweka,_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo>
or by downloading the pdf file of the ICRF report at
<http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EDIS-7N5R2X?OpenDocument>.
- Mod.CP]

See Also

Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (05): (KS) 20090115.0173
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (04): (KS) 20090114.0159
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): (KS) 20090111.0113
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02): (KS) 20090108.0082
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KS), WHO 20090102.0013
2008
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): (KS) 20081231.4133
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02): (KS) 20081229.4093
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (KS), WHO 20081227.4086
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
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
....................cp/ejp/mpp

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