The Ministry of Health has published EBOLA DRC - Evolution of the response to the Ebola epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri on Thursday December 27 2018. It's been a bad day. Excerpt from the Google translation:
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SITUATION IN THE PROVINCES OF NORTH KIVU AND ITURI
Thursday 27 December 2018
The epidemiological situation of the Ebola Virus Disease dated 26 December 2018:
• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 591, of which 543 are confirmed and 48 are probable. In total, there were 357 deaths (309 confirmed and 48 probable) and 203 people healed. 1
• 2 suspected cases under investigation.
º The surveillance activities by the Beni and Butembo teams were severely limited on Thursday 27 December 2018 following protests by the population. Thus, very few alerts could be investigated.
• 6 new confirmed cases, including 2 in Kalunguta, 2 in Oicha, 1 in Beni and 1 in Komanda.
• 1 new case death confirmed in Beni (community death).
• 2 new people healed out of Butembo CTE.
/! \ The data presented in this table is subject to further changes after thorough investigation and after redistribution of cases and deaths in their health areas.
News of the response
Beni Transit Center
• On Thursday, December 27, 2018, protesters vandalized facilities inside the Beni Transit Center compound where suspicious cases awaiting laboratory test results are being handled. This was not the Ebola Treatment Center in which confirmed cases are treated and isolated.
• The extent of the material damage is being evaluated. The tents in which the teams in charge of dignified and safe burials meet were partially burned. Protesters also stole some chairs, tables and tarpaulins at the Transit Center. Some electrical and sanitary facilities at the Transit Center have been damaged rendering the Center non-functional at this time.
• When the protesters arrived, 24 suspected cases were treated at the Transit Center. Of these patients, three were in serious condition and could not leave their bed at the time of the disorders. After the protesters left, they were transferred to the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) to await the outcome of their lab tests.
• Of the 21 suspected cases that left the Transit Center, 17 had already been tested negative for Ebola the first time and were waiting for the second lab test before being discharged. The remaining 4 patients had already been collected and were waiting for the results of their first laboratory test.
• The medical teams are in contact with the families of patients who have left the Transit Center. Later in the afternoon, 11 patients returned on their own and were placed in additional tents installed at the Ebola Treatment Center to accommodate them. Although these patients are still traumatized by the events that occurred in the morning, they came back because they understand that a fast and adequate care will increase their chance of survival if they prove to be infected by the Ebola virus.
• Since the Beni laboratory was not operational today, patients will receive the results of their laboratory test the next day if the security situation allows it. This will help unload the non-cases (the people whose tests have come back negative) and accommodate the new suspected cases.
Activities of the response to Beni and Butembo
• The activities of the response to Beni and Butembo have been severely disrupted following the demonstrations of the population. The majority of the teams were unable to deploy in both cities but were able to work remotely with local health workers who maintained minimal field activity.
• No vaccination activities took place in the health zones covered by the Beni and Butembo vaccination teams.
• The community-based surveillance system and local health workers identified 29 alerts in Beni, of which 24 were investigated. Following these investigations, five new suspected cases were admitted to the CTE of Beni. In Butembo, a small number of alerts could be investigated and some suspect cases were admitted to the ETC.
• At the level of the support, the Transit Center of Beni is not operational for the moment but the CTE could function normally. In Butembo, the CTE was also operational but with a reduced number of caregivers.
• No dignified and secure burial (EDS) has been performed in the health zones covered by the EDS teams in Beni and Butembo.
• The Beni laboratory was not functional today while the Butembo laboratory managed to test some samples in the afternoon.
• The Butembo Ebola Response Coordinator, Dr. Jean-Christophe Shako, participated in an outreach activity of the Catholic Youth Union. Organized by the Bishop of the diocese of Butembo-Beni, Monsignor Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku, the training session was under the theme of "Family without Ebola". Nearly 300 young Catholics have been trained on Ebola and have been invited to accompany the activities of the response and raise awareness in their community.
Vaccination
• Further wide-belt vaccination (or ring plus) in Otomaber locality (in Komanda health zone) and Aloya (in Mabalako health zone).
Continued immunization of primary care providers in the Goma Health Zone.
• Since vaccination began on 8 August 2018, 53,523 people have been vaccinated , including 19,363 in Beni, 10,761 in Katwa, 5,875 in Butembo, 5,377 in Mabalako, 2,258 in Kalunguta, 1,663 in Mandima, 1,207 in Komanda, 1,009 in Oicha, 942 in Goma, 791 in Vuhovi, 750 in Masereka, 700 in Lubero, 659 in Kyondo, 599 in Mutwanga, 434 in Bunia, 394 in Musienene, 355 in Tchomia, 167 in Nyankunde, 70 in Biena, 63 in Alimbongo, 13 in Karisimbi and 13 in Kisangani.
• The only vaccine to be used in this outbreak is the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine, manufactured by the pharmaceutical group Merck, following approval by the Ethics Committee in its decision of 19 May 2018.
