ProMED-mail |

Published Date: 2012-08-14 16:29:47
Subject: PRO/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (OR) susp
Archive Number: 20120814.1244138

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (ORIENTALE) SUSPECTED
*****************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Sun 12 Aug 2012
Source: AFRIScoop.com (Xinhua report) [In French, transl., edited]
http://www.afriscoop.net/journal/spip.php?breve12773

Suspected cases of Ebola virus detected in Orientale Province
-------------------------------------------------------------
A total of 5 suspected cases of Ebola haemorrhagic fever have been detected in Isiro, chief town of the district of Haut Uele, Orientale Province (north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC)], said Jean-Marc Madindi, provincial medical inspector of the Eastern Province, on Sun 12 Aug 2012. "Another case where death ensued, was notified in Dungu, one of 6 areas that make up the district of Haut Uele. We are waiting for test results to diagnose the virus," said Mr Madindi, adding that all cases are closely monitored in Dungu and Isiro, without giving further details.

An outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever (VHF) has emerged since last July [2012], 200 km [124 miles] from Kampala in Uganda, killing 14 people on 20 confirmed cases. Given the proximity between the Eastern Province and the eastern part of Uganda, and the intense traffic between the 2 countries, humanitarian actors [doctors?] in DRC have taken preventive measures to deal with this epidemic.

Haemorrhagic fever, against which there is no treatment or vaccine, kills between 50 and 90 per cent of sufferers. It is also highly contagious by direct contact with blood, bodily fluids, or when handling contaminated corpses carelessly. In the DRC, Ebola haemorrhagic fever occurred previously in Equateur province in 1976-1977 (north west), in Bandundu province (south west) in 1995, in the Eastern Province in 1999 and 2000, and in Kasai Occidental (center) in 2007 and 2008.

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

[This Orientale province of the Democratic Republic of Congo is adjacent to the region of Uganda currently experiencing an outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever. It is tempting to infer that the 2 outbreaks are related. The Ugandan outbreak has been caused by Sudan ebolavirus. Confirmation and identification of the virus responsible for the DRC outbreak are awaited.

A map of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo is available at http://www.mapsofworld.com/democratic-republic-of-congo/democratic-republic-of-congo-political-map.html. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/008z. - Mod.CP]

See Also