H5N1

Samoa measles: 87 new cases but no new deaths

A tweet from the Government of Samoa:

Latest update: 4,819 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak with 87 recorded in the last 24 hours. There were no fatalities in the last 24 hours and the death toll remains at 70.  

VACCINATION UPDATE: As of 8 Dec, 91% of population have been vaccinated.

No tables yet, but I'm grateful for the good news.

DRC Ebola: 4 new cases on December 8, 11 this week, 3,324 total

The MoH/WHO AFRO Ebola DRC KIVU 2018 Dashboard reports 4 new cases on December 8, making 11 for the epidemiological week, 28 in the past 21 days, and 3,324 since the outbreak was declared. Out of 3,300 contacts, 600 are going untraced.

DRC Ebola: CMRE update, December 8

CMRE has published Situation épidémiologique du 08 décembre 2019. Excerpt from the Google translation:

EVOLUTION OF THE EPIDEMIC IN THE PROVINCES OF NORTH KIVU AND ITURI AT 07 DECEMBER  2019    

Sunday, December 08, 2019     

Since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 3,320, of which 3,202 are confirmed and 118 are probable. In total, there were 2,209 deaths (2091 confirmed and 118 probable) and 1084 people healed. 

• 391 suspected cases under investigation; 

• 4 suspected cases were notified on 05 December 2019 in the Osso health area in Lubutu, Maniema province. 1 case was invalidated. Among the 3 remaining suspects, the first samples of 2 suspects are negative and their clinical evolution is good. They are in agreement of the second levy. One suspect died and the oral sample was not taken and the body was secured and returned to the family. 

• 1 new confirmed cases in North Kivu in Mabalako; 

• No new deaths among confirmed cases; 

• No cured person has emerged from CTEs;  

• No health worker is among the new confirmed cases. The cumulative number of confirmed / probable cases among health workers is 164 (5% of all confirmed / probable cases), including 41 deaths; 

• Ebola response activities are paralyzed in Beni, Mangina and Biakato sub-coordination for security reasons;

 

The data presented in this table are subject to change after extensive investigation and after redistribution of cases and deaths in their respective health areas.

NEWS  

Joint DRC-Rwanda launch of the second Johnson and Johnson vaccine in Rubavu, Rwanda 

• The official launch of the second Ebola vaccine took place on Sunday, 08 December 2019 in Rubavu, Rwanda, precisely on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda; 

• Launched jointly by the two countries as part of regional protection against Ebola Virus Disease, the International Health Regulations make cross-border relations one of its priorities;  

• WHO declared on July 17, 2019 in Geneva, this tenth outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease as a health emergency of international concern; 

• For the Technical Secretary of the CMRE, Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe Ntamfum, this joint launch will help strengthen regional and international health security in the immunization component; 

• The DRC has already started vaccinating its Majengo and Kahembe populations in the health zone of Karisimbi in the city of Goma and since November 14, 2019 more than 1300 people have been vaccinated; 

• The launch of the second J & J vaccine was made in front of the Deputy Governor of North Kivu Province accompanied by his provincial Minister of Health, the General Coordinator of the Epidemic Response to Ebola Virus Disease and various partners including a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and a representative of Johnson and Johnson; 

• For this launch in Rwanda, the first person to receive the second vaccine, is a Congolese, a collaborator of Prof. Muyembe, who welcomed this dose that protects him against the Ebola virus. To this end, he invited other persons from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to follow his example; 

• For the Rwandan Minister of Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba, it is very important to seize this opportunity during this time when the epidemic continues to make victims in the DRC to vaccinate their population in order to save them from possible epidemics. This vaccination, for Rwanda, is conducted by the Organization "Umurinzi", which means "the guardian"; 

• The J & J launch ceremony was closed with a press conference hosted by the Technical Secretary of the Multisectoral Ebola Virus Epidemic Committee and the Minister of Health of the Republic of Rwanda; 

• As soon as the Technical Secretary of the CMRE left Rwanda, he went directly to the health center, where are hospitalized the wounded returned from Biakato following the attacks by armed incivists on the night of 27 to 28 November 2019 ;  

• There are a total of 7, including 6 men and 1 woman, who have said they are ready to resume their life-saving work, especially saving lives, especially those who are sick with Ebola. 

VACCINATION  

• 1300 people were vaccinated, until 06 December 2019, with the 2nd Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN-Filo vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) in the two health zones of Karisimbi in Goma; 

• Since the start of vaccination on August 8, 2018 with the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine, 256,229 people have been vaccinated; 

• Approved October 22, 2019 by the Ethics Committee of the School of Public Health of the University of Kinshasa and October 23, 2019 by the National Ethics Committee, the second vaccine, called Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN -Filo, is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals for Johnson & Johnson; 

• This new vaccine complements the first, the rVSV-ZEBOV, vaccine used until then (since August 08, 2018) in this epidemic manufactured by the pharmaceutical group Merck, after approval of the Ethics Committee on May 20, 2018. It has recently been pre-qualified for registration.

MONITORING AT ENTRY POINTS

• Sanitary control activities were resumed in the various entry and control points of the Beni and Mangina sub-coordinations in North Kivu;

• Health control activities are disrupted in the Biakato Sub-Coordinations in Ituri;

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the total number of travelers checked (temperature increase) at the sanitary control points, until Wednesday 05 December 2019, is 123,984,301 ;

• To date, a total of 109 entry points (PoE) and sanitary control points (PoCs) have been set up in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri to protect the country's major cities and prevent the spread of the epidemic in neighboring countries.

Samoa measles: 112 new cases, 70 total deaths

A tweet from the Government of Samoa. They are not out of this mess yet:

Latest update: 4,693 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak with 112 recorded in the last 24 hours. To date, 70 measles related deaths have been recorded. 

VACCINATION UPDATE: As of 8 Dec, 90% of population have been vaccinated (graphic attached).

Samoa measles: 121 cases, 3 deaths on December 7

A tweet from the Government of Samoa:

Latest update: 4,581 measles cases have been reported since the outbreak with 121 recorded in the last 24 hours. To date, 68 measles related deaths have been recorded. 

VACCINATION UPDATE: As of 7 Dec, 90% of population have been vaccinated (graphic attached).

DRC Ebola: 1 new case on December 7, 7 this week, 3,320 total

The MoH/WHO AFRO Ebola DRC KIVU 2018 Dashboard reports 1 new case on December 7, making 7 so far this week, 28 in the past 21 days, and 3,320 since the outbreak was declared. Out of 3,200 contacts, 900 are going untraced.

DRC Ebola: CMRE update, December 7

CMRE has published Situation épidémiologique du 07 décembre 2019. I've bolded some items of particular interest. Excerpt from the Google translation:

EVOLUTION OF THE EPIDEMIC IN THE PROVINCES OF NORTH KIVU AND ITURI AT 06 DECEMBER  2019   

Saturday, December 07, 2019 

Since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 3,319, of which 3,201 are confirmed and 118 are probable. In total, there were 2,209 deaths (2091 confirmed and 118 probable) and 1084 people healed. 

• 439 suspected cases under investigation; 

• 4 suspected cases were notified on 05 December 2019 in the Osso health area in Lubutu, Maniema province. The first 2 samples analyzed in the Goma laboratory returned negative to the Ebola virus and 1 case was invalidated. The sample is still being sent to the Goma laboratory for the remaining 1 case; 

• 1 case of reinfection of Mabalako was not counted; 

• No new confirmed cases; 

• No new deaths among confirmed cases; 

• No cured person has emerged from CTEs;  

• No health worker is among the new confirmed cases. The cumulative number of confirmed / probable cases among health workers is 164 (5% of all confirmed / probable cases), including 41 deaths; 

• Ebola response activities are paralyzed in Beni, Mangina and Biakato sub-coordination for security reasons;

 

The data presented in this table are subject to change after extensive investigation and after redistribution of cases and deaths in their respective health areas.

NEWS  

Arrival on Saturday of the Technical Secretary for Ebola Response to the Ebola Virus Disease in Goma, North Kivu  

• The Technical Secretary of the Multisectoral Committee on the Ebola Virus Epidemic Response, Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe Ntamfum, arrived in the afternoon of Saturday, December 07, 2019 in Goma in the province of North Kivu; 

• A mission as part of a supervisory visit to the response activities in the North Kivu provinces and the consolation and comfort of the response teams, victims of attacks on the night of 27-28 November. November 2019 in Biakato, Ituri, by unidentified gunmen, causing injury, death and loss of property in Ebola response sites; 

• In this context, it has exchanged with the various actors of the response to eventually put in place field strategies to end this tenth epidemic of # Ebola that has already lasted more than a year in the DRC. 

Exchange between the CMRE Technical Secretary and the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Security  

• The Technical Secretary of the Multisectoral Committee for Ebola Virus Epidemic Response (CMRE), Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe Ntamfum, as soon as he arrived in Goma, North Kivu province, exchanged at a meeting with the Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Gilles Michaud; 

• The highlight of this meeting was the safety of sites, living quarters and field response teams in areas of high insecurity for the response; 

• The meeting was held at the general coordination of the response to Goma in front of various personalities, including the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), the Congolese National Police, MONUSCO and the UN Security in the DRC 

VACCINATION  

• 1300 people were vaccinated with the 2nd Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN-Filo vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) in the two health zones of Karisimbi in Goma; • Since the start of vaccination on August 8, 2018 with the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine, 256,100 people have been vaccinated; 

• Approved October 22, 2019 by the Ethics Committee of the School of Public Health of the University of Kinshasa and October 23, 2019 by the National Ethics Committee, the second vaccine, called Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN -Filo, is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals for Johnson & Johnson; 

• This new vaccine complements the first, the rVSV-ZEBOV, vaccine used until then (since August 08, 2018) in this epidemic manufactured by the pharmaceutical group Merck, after approval of the Ethics Committee on May 20, 2018. It has recently been pre-qualified for registration. 

MONITORING AT ENTRY POINTS  

• Sanitary control activities were resumed in the various entry and control points of the Beni and Mangina sub-coordinations in North Kivu; 

• A lifeless body of a 44-year-old man was intercepted at Makeke Checkpoint, coming from Lwemba for Makeke, whose result came back positive.  

• Health control activities are disrupted in the Biakato Sub-Coordinations in Ituri; 

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the total number of travelers checked (temperature measurement ) at the sanitary control points, until Wednesday 05 December 2019, is 123,641,729 ;  

• To date, a total of 109 entry points (PoE) and sanitary control points (PoCs) have been set up in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri to protect the country's major cities and prevent the spread of the epidemic in neighboring countries.

Ebola: 4 suspected cases registered in the province of Maniema

Via mediacongo.net, alaming news: Ebola: 4 suspected cases registered in the province of Maniema. Maniema is a large province just west of North and South Kivu. The Google translation:

Four suspected cases of Ebola were recorded in the Osso health area in Lubutu, Maniema province. According to the multi-sector Ebola Response Committee, in its newsletter, published on Friday, December 06, 2019, two samples are being analyzed at the Goma laboratory and two more are being sent to the same site. Goma laboratory. Without giving further details, the Committee states that the additional information is being collected.  

Two new cases have been confirmed in North Kivu, including one in Mabalako and one in Ituri in Mandima. 

In addition, two new deaths were confirmed, including one in confirmed cases in Ituri in Mandima and one in confirmed cases in North Kivu in Mabalako.  

According to statistics from the multi-sectoral committee, since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 3,322, of which 3,204 are confirmed and 118 are probable. A total of 2,209 deaths were recorded (2091 confirmed and 118 probable) and 1084 people healed. 452 suspected cases are under investigation.

Two more deaths from measles in Samoa, toll now 65

Via RNZ News: Two more deaths from measles in Samoa, toll now 65. But see the post just below for the silver lining:

There are now 65 measles related deaths in Samoa following two more fatalities over the past 24 hours.

The government says there is also now at least 4460 measles cases since the outbreak began in October. 

There were 103 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours.  

165 people remain hospitalised including 18 critically ill children and three pregnant women. 

The new figures come after a two-day nationwide shutdown to enable vaccination teams to reach households where people still needed to be immunised. 

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the teams carried out more than 20,000 vaccinations on Thursday and Friday.

DRC Ebola: CMRE update, December 5

CMRE has published Situation épidémiologique du 05 décembre 2019. Excerpt from the Google translation:

EVOLUTION OF THE EPIDEMIC IN THE PROVINCES OF NORTH KIVU AND ITURI AT 04 DECEMBER  2019 

Thursday, 05 December 2019   

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 3,318, of which 3,200 are confirmed and 118 are probable. In total, there were 2,207 deaths (2,089 confirmed and 118 probable) and 1,084 people healed. 

• 357 suspected cases under investigation; 

• 5 new confirmed cases in North Kivu, including 3 in Beni, 1 in Mabalako and 1 in Oicha; 

• No new deaths among confirmed cases;  

• No cured person has emerged from CTEs;  

• 1 health worker is one of the newly confirmed cases in North Kivu in Mabalako. The cumulative number of confirmed / probable cases among health workers is 164 (5% of all confirmed / probable cases), including 41 deaths; 

• Ebola response activities are paralyzed in Beni, Mangina and Biakato sub-coordination for security reasons;

 

The data presented in this table are subject to change after extensive investigation and after redistribution of cases and deaths in their respective health areas.

NEWS  

End of mission of the general coordinator of the epidemic response to the Ebola Virus Disease in Biakato and Beni 

• The mission of Ebola Virus Disease Response Coordinator, Prof. Steve Ahuka Mundeke, to Biakato in Ituri and Beni in North Kivu ended on Thursday, December 05, 2019; 

• After his visit to Biakato in Ituri, the general coordinator of the response traveled to Beni, North Kivu, where he spent the night with his entire delegation; 

• Very early in the morning, he went to Beni's sub-coordination to take part in the morning meeting on the evolution of the epidemic to Ebola Virus Disease. The meeting room was full. On this occasion, the General Coordinator congratulated and comforted the teams made up mostly of the premises for the work done during this period of crisis; 

• Immediately afterwards, he went to the IDP camp in Lwemba, which is currently in Beni. These displaced people are demanding the return of the Lwemba response teams to continue their work against Ebola and put an end to this disease, which is currently killing many people in their communities; 

• He invited the entire population of Biakato and Lwemba to get involved in the activities of the response, because without their involvement, he said, Ebola Virus Disease can not be defeated 

VACCINATION  

• 1161 people were vaccinated with the 2nd Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN-Filo vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) in the two Health Zones of Karisimbi in Goma; 

• 60 people, including 33 high-risk contacts and 27 contacts of contacts, were vaccinated around the confirmed Beni case in the Kanzulinzuli Health Area in Beni / HGR, North Kivu; 

• Since the start of vaccination on August 8, 2018 with the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine, 255,852 people have been vaccinated; 

• Approved October 22, 2019 by the Ethics Committee of the School of Public Health of the University of Kinshasa and October 23, 2019 by the National Ethics Committee, the second vaccine, called Ad26.ZEBOV / MVA-BN -Filo, is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals for Johnson & Johnson; 

• This new vaccine is in addition to the first, the rVSV-ZEBOV, vaccine used until then (since August 08, 2018) in this epidemic manufactured by the pharmaceutical group Merck, after approval of the Ethics Committee on May 20, 2018. has recently been pre-qualified for registration. 

MONITORING AT ENTRY POINTS  

• Sanitary control activities were resumed in the various entry and control points of the Beni and Mangina sub-coordinations in North Kivu; 

• Sanitary control activities are disrupted in the Beni and Mangina sub-coordinations in North Kivu, as well as Mambasa and Biakato in Ituri following the demonstrations of the population who decry the killings of civilians and the attacks of armed innocents who took target response teams; 

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, the total number of travelers checked (temperature rise) at the sanitary control points is 123,641,729 ;  

• To date, a total of 109 entry points (PoE) and sanitary control points (PoCs) have been set up in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri to protect the country's major cities and prevent the spread of the epidemic in neighboring countries.