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Tag: Ebola

  • Two Ebola patients died after attending church

    Two Ebola patients died after attending church

    Two Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola patients who fled hospital in the city of Mbandaka on Monday attended a prayer meeting with 50 people hours before they died, Jean-Clement Cabrol, an emergency medical coordinator at Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), said on Thursday.

    Health officials are scrambling to contain an outbreak of the deadly disease in the heavily populated port city in northwest Congo that is believed to have killed 22 people since April.

    Two new deaths from Ebola and seven new confirmed cases have been recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

    One of the deaths occurred in the provincial capital of Mbandaka, according to a daily bulletin.

    A nurse also died in the village of Bikoro, where the outbreak was first detected, ministry spokeswoman Jessica Ilunga told Reuters.

    The ministry said the seven new confirmed cases were registered in Bikoro.

    Health officials administered an experimental vaccine on Monday to 33 medical workers and Mbandaka residents, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva.

    The vaccine manufacturer Merck has provided WHO with 8,640 doses of the vaccine and an additional 8,000 doses are expected to be available in the coming days, WHO said.

    Congo’s ninth outbreak of Ebola since 1976 is believed to have killed at least 28 people so far.

    Officials are particularly concerned by its appearance in Mbandaka, a crowded trading hub on the Congo River with road, water and air links to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

    WHO said it will need 26 million dollars for the Ebola Response in the DRC over the next three months.

    WHO said it had also released two million dollars from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, to scale up the Ebola response.

    The Government of DRC, with the support of WHO partners, is preparing to vaccinate high risk populations against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in affected health zones.

    The organisation said health workers operating in affected areas were being vaccinated on Monday and community outreach had started to prepare for the ring vaccination.

    More than 7,500 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine have been deployed to DRC to conduct vaccination in the northwestern Equator Province where 46 suspected, probable and confirmed Ebola cases and 26 deaths have been reported – as of Friday.

    NAN

  • Russia 2018: Super Eagles will play DR Congo despite Ebola threat – Dalung

    Russia 2018: Super Eagles will play DR Congo despite Ebola threat – Dalung

    The Minister of Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung, has said the planned valedictory match for the Super Eagles before jetting out of the country for the World Cup in Russia would be played as scheduled.

    The Super Eagles are billed to face DR Congo in a friendly match on Monday, May 28 in Port Harcourt but the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus in the Central African country led to many expressing doubt about the fixture holding.

    However, the Sports Minister while speaking with State House correspondents on Monday, listed measures that have been taken to ensure the match goes on and at the same time avoid the contagious disease being brought into Nigeria.

    “Nigeria is going to play the friendly with DRC, I have discussed with the Federal Ministry of Health with the World Health Organization in participation, we have reviewed the situation and received adequate information about it,” Mr Dalung said.

    The minister further explained the steps that will be taken to keep the epidemic from Nigeria.

    “So we have agreed on major approaches. One, the DRC team is coming through a chartered flight and those coming for the match will be using that chartered flight and they would have been screened from the DRC and they will be screened here in Nigeria,” he said.

    “There is going to be no other person that is going to be admitted using any other means of transportation for the match.

    “We also discovered that the Ebola outbreak is limited to a particular place and it has not escalated. So, we wouldn’t want to run the risk of setting a precedent of which we will later be a victim.”

    Mr Dalung said based on the strict measures already in place, there was no need to fear and the match can go on unhindered.

     

     

  • WHO raises Ebola risk to ‘very high’

    WHO raises Ebola risk to ‘very high’

    The Ebola outbreak in Congo poses a greater danger to the Central African country and the region than previously assumed, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    The recent confirmation of a case in Mbandaka, a large city that straddles national and international transport routes, had increased the risk of the virus spreading further, the UN health agency said on Friday in Geneva.

    “WHO has, therefore, revised the assessment of public health risk to very high at the national level and high at the regional level,’’ it said in a statement.

    The global significance of this outbreak that has killed 14 people, so far is being discussed at a WHO emergency meeting and will be announced later on Friday.

    The WHO has previously said that the chance of a global outbreak is low.

    In Congo, the Health Ministry announced that the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country have risen from three to 14.

    “In total since the start of the epidemic, there have been 45 cases of haemorrhagic fever, including 10 suspected cases, 21 probable cases and 14 confirmed cases,’’ the ministry said late Thursday.

    While one person was confirmed dead from the virus, 25 people are suspected to have died from it, the ministry said.

    One of the most contagious viral diseases known, Ebola’s symptoms are extraordinarily painful and include severe vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, impaired kidney and liver function as well as internal and external bleeding.

    The UN and aid organisations are racing to prevent the recurrence of an outbreak like in 2014, when 11,000 people died in the West African epidemic that was centred in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

    The executive of the EU on Friday announced the release of 1.6 million euros (1.9 million dollars) to help tackle the outbreak, with most of the money going to the WHO to provide logistics support.

  • Ebola cases in Congo jumps to 14

    The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has risen from three to 14, according to the Central African country’s Health Ministry.

    “In total since the start of the epidemic, there have been 45 cases of hemorrhagic fever, including 10 suspected cases, 21 probable cases, and 14 confirmed cases,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

    The ministry said just one person had been confirmed dead from the virus, but 25 people are suspected to have died from it.

    Earlier Thursday, the ministry had only three confirmed cases, one of which – the first in a major urban area – had prompted an urgent World Health Organisation meeting for Friday to decide what measures should be taken, including the possible declaration of a public health emergency.

    Ebola is a highly infectious virus that can cause fever and bleeding.

    The death rate runs as high as 90 per cent, but the lethal risk can be reduced significantly if patients are quickly isolated and if they receive fluids.

    Earlier this week, more than 5,000 Ebola vaccines arrived in Congo as part of the UN’s efforts to stem the outbreak.

    Similarly, the European Commission has released around 1.6 million euros (1.9 million dollars) to help tackle an Ebola outbreak in Congo, as well as organising flights to transport emergency staff and equipment to the affected areas.

    Of that, 1.5 million euros will provide logistics support to the WHO and 130,000 euros will help the Congolese Red Cross perform life-saving interventions.

    “All must be done to isolate the Ebola cases, especially since there has been a case in Mbandaka city,” said EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Christos Stylianides.

    The EU is also ready to deploy its pool of voluntary specialists and medical assets, and its Copernicus satellite will provide emergency mapping services to help reach affected areas, a statement says.

  • DR Congo: Ebola epidemic enters ‘new phase’ as third case confirmed

    A third case of Ebola has been confirmed in Congo, the World Health Organization said Thursday, detected for the first time in a large urban centre, the north-west city of Mbandaka.

    “The arrival of Ebola in an urban area is very concerning and WHO and partners are working together to rapidly scale up the search for all contacts of the confirmed case in the Mbandaka area,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

    Forty-four people are now suspected of having been infected with Ebola, three of which are confirmed.

    “We are now entering a new phase of the epidemic which is now affecting three health zones, including an urban health zone,” Health Minister Oly Ilunga Kalenga said in a statement. Mbandaka is a city of over a million people.

    On Wednesday more than 5,000 Ebola vaccines arrived in Congo as part of the UN’s efforts to stem the outbreak in the central African country.

    The vaccine is the same experimental substance that has been proved to be safe and effective in a trial among 7,500 people in Guinea in 2015.

    Guinea, along with Liberia and Sierra Leone, were at the centre of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa that killed 11,000 people.

    In the current outbreak, the WHO has said it is worried that the highly infectious and deadly haemorrhagic fever could spread from Congo to neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic.

    dpa

  • Anti-graft war: We’ve recovered stolen trillions of naira – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday confirmed that his administration’s stance against corruption is yielding the desired result as trillions of Nigeria’s stolen funds have now been recovered.

    The president, however, admitted that anti-corruption war is not easy to fight because it affects different branches of national lives.

    He also denied allegations that his government embarks on witch-hunts in the fight against graft.

    Buhari said these in his address at the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission located at Jabi District in Abuja.

    The President said under his watch, all Nigerians were now aware that corrupt officials would be held to account, no matter how long it took.

    He said throughout the journey of his national life, he has made the anti-corruption fight a major agenda.

    He, however, expressed the hope that other arms of government including the judiciary and legislature would collaborate with the executive on the current war against corruption in the country.

    Buhari said, “This is another milestone in our determined and collective fight against corruption.

    “Throughout my journey in national service and since 2015, I have made a very conscious decision to pursue a vigorous fight against corruption in public life.

    “Since 2015, we have made significant progress in the fight against corruption. Everyone now knows that corrupt officials will be held to account, no matter how long it takes.

    “We have recovered and are still recovering trillions of naira that were stolen in the past few years by people without conscience.

    “We are pursuing recoveries everywhere and are making sure that anyone who has been found culpable is made to answer for his or her crime under the law.

    “It is my hope and expectation that the judiciary, which is a critical stakeholder and partner in the war against corruption, would continue to collaborate with the Executive to bring corrupt people to book.”

    Buhari called on the Legislature which provides the legal framework for the anti-corruption war to add more verve to the determination of the government to rid the nation of the brazen corruption witnessed in recent years.

    This, he said, could be achieved through a review of archaic provisions in the nation’s laws and proactive passage of new legislation.

  • NCAA urges airlines to be vigilant over Ebola outbreak

    NCAA urges airlines to be vigilant over Ebola outbreak

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Tuesday called for a high level vigilance by the airlines, especially those operating international and regional flights into the country.

    Mr Sam Adurogboye, the General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, made the call in a statement issued in Lagos.

    Adurogboye said that a circular with Ref. No. NCAA/DG/AMS/Vol.1/196, dated May 11, 2018 and signed by the agency’s Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, had been dispatched to all the airlines.

    He explained that the airlines were informed of the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on May 8.

    He however said that the outbreak in DRC, had yet to be declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), as a Public Health Event of International Concern (PHEIC).

    “Notwithstanding, the NCAA, Federal Ministry of Health and all other relevant agencies have been taking concerted steps to ensure the virus does not creep into Nigeria.

    “Therefore to forestall the EVD infiltration, the regulatory authority has therefore directed all airlines to carry out these measures in the interim.

    “Pilots-in-Command of an aircraft are to report to Air Traffic Control (ATC) any suspected case of communicable disease onboard their flights in line with Nig.CARs 18.8.22.4,” he said.

    Adurogboye said that in case of any suspected case of communicable disease on board an aircraft, aircrew were to fill the General Declaration (Gen Dec) and Public Health Passenger Locator forms in line with Nig. CARs 18.8.17.4 and 18.8.22.5, respectively.

    He said that the Completed General Declaration and Public Health Passenger Locator forms were to be submitted to the Port Health Services (PHS) of the destination Aerodrome.

    Adurogboye said that airlines should ensure that they had onboard valid and appropriate number of First Aid kits, Universal Precaution kits and Emergency Medical kits in line with Nig. CARs 7.9.1.12.

    He said that they were to refresh the knowledge of their crew members in the handling and communicating with ATC of any suspected case of communicable disease on board.

    “Airlines are to contact Port Health Services for clearance before importing human remains into the country.

    “Airlines are to report to the authority in writing of any suspected case of communicable disease in flight,” he said.

    He said that NCAA would continue to collaborate with all relevant agencies to ensure that the Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan (PHECP), developed for the guidance of aviation stakeholders were adhered to.

    He said that these steps would prevent the importation of any communicable disease into the country through Nigeria’s air borders, especially the airports.

  • 19 dead, 39 infected so far in Congo Ebola outbreak – WHO

    The WHO on Monday confirmed 19 deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following an outbreak of Ebola between April 4 and May 13.

    The WHO also confirmed 39 suspected cases.

    It said 393 people who identified as contacts of Ebola patients were being followed up.

    Information about the outbreak in Bikoro, Iboko and Wangata health zones in Equateur province was still limited, the WHO said in a statement.

    At present the outbreak did not meet the criteria for declaring a “public health event of international concern”, which would trigger the formation of an emergency WHO committee.

    The WHO said it has obtained 4,000 doses of Ebola vaccine and is preparing for deployment in the DRC, its Africa director said on Sunday.

    “We’re working on the deployment of these materials, especially readying the cold chain,” WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti told Reuters by telephone.

    “The start date of the vaccinations will depend on this deployment.”

  • JOHESU strike won’t stop port screening for Ebola – Health Minister assures

    JOHESU strike won’t stop port screening for Ebola – Health Minister assures

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole on Thursday affirmed that the ongoing Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) strike, would not hinder the Ebola screening of travellers coming into the country as health workers in the port would not be joining the strike.

    The minister disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

    Speaking on the effort the government is making to reduce the risk of the disease being imported into the country, Mr Adewole said mechanism has been put in place at the ports and borders to screen travellers coming in and going out of the country.

    “There will be screening at the airport and borders. We have also put in place a screening form to help track where people are coming from and go, as this will help improve surveillance,” he said.

    The screening form will be particularly for people coming from the west Africa and central Africa region. An emergency surveillance activities at all land and airport borders has been set up so that we can keep Nigerians safe, he added.

    Currently, there is an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo leading to some deaths.

    “Part of the new measures to be taken include screening passengers coming into the country. Not only that, we will be screening incoming passengers, particularly passengers from DRC and neigbouring countries.

    “We will also ensure we step up all activities screening people coming in so that we will not be caught unaware,” he said.

    Ebola, like other infectious diseases has a tendency of spreading across border through human migration, if not well monitored.

    In 2014, the disease was imported to Nigeria through a Liberian Diplomat who flew to Nigeria in an attempt to get to the U.S. after contacting the disease in Liberia.

    As a result of this, eight Nigerians died from the disease and many others were infected. Majority were health workers.

    The minister said to minimise the risk of importing the disease, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is currently coordinating a national working group that is assessing and managing the risk to Nigeria.

    While alienating the fears of Nigerians on the likely import of the disease into Nigeria, the minister advised Nigerians to cultivate the habit of personal hygiene and not just depend on hand sanitizers as prevention from the disease.

    He said hand sanitizers though good should not be solely relied upon as preventive mechanism for contacting the disease as hand sanitizer is not a means of preventing Ebola.

    Mr Adewole explained that Nigeria is in close communication with development partners, including the World Health Organisation, who are in Congo to monitor and respond to the situation.

    “The port health services unit has been placed on red-alert and will heighten screening measures at ports of entry.

    “Letters of alert have also been sent to all states to enhance surveillance activities and an advisory note for the general public,” he said.

    Mr Adewole said Nigeria has the capacity to tackle the disease because the country has learnt a lot from the 2014 outbreak which claimed eight people in the country.

    He said over the last few years,”we have strengthened our health security infrastructure to effectively prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases including Ebola.”

    The Federal Ministry of Health says it remains committed to ensuring the health and safety of all Nigerians.

    The World Bank, through the regional disease surveillance systems enhancement (REDISSE) also released $90 million to help tackle surveillance and response of disease in the country and other African countries, the minister said.

    The Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said Nigeria would not be having problem tackling the disease because there are health experts in who assisted Liberia to tackle the disease in 2014.

    He said REDISSE is focused on strengthening the disease preparedness and response architecture in West African countries, including Nigeria.

    He said the main priority for NCDC is to develop a robust public health emergency preparedness and response system in other to tackle any disease outbreak in the country.

  • WHO prepares for worst case Ebola scenario

    The WHO is preparing for the worst case scenario in an Ebola outbreak in a remote area of Congo, including spread to a major town.

    WHO Deputy Director-General of Emergency Preparedness and Response Peter Salama on Friday told a regular UN briefing in Geneva that he hoped the Democratic Republic of Congo would give the green light within days for the deployment of an experimental vaccine, but warned that the drug was complicated to use and was not a magic bullet.

    He said the WHO had alerted the nine neighbouring countries but currently regarded the risk of regional spread as “moderate”.

    WHO said 17 people have died since inhabitants of a village in the country’s northwest began showing symptoms resembling Ebola in December,

    This is the ninth time Ebola has been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the disease made its first known appearance – near the vast central African country’s northern Ebola river – in the 1970s.

    “One of the defining features of this epidemic is the fact that three health professionals have been affected,” Health Minister Oly Ilunga said in a statement. “This situation worries us and requires an immediate and energetic response.”

    Most of the cases so far have been recorded around the village of Ikoko Impenge, near the northwestern town of Bikoro.

    Congo’s long experience of Ebola and its remote geography mean outbreaks are often localised and relatively easy to isolate.

    But Ikoko Impenge and Bikoro are situated not far from the banks of the Congo River, a major artery for trade and transport upstream from the capital Kinshasa.

    The Congo Republic is just on the other side of the river.

    A spokesman for the director of epidemiology in Congo Republic said government experts would meet on Thursday to discuss measures to prevent it crossing the border.

    Nigeria’s immigration service said on Thursday it had increased screening tests at airports and other entry points as a precautionary measure.

    Similar measures helped it contain the virus during the West African epidemic that began in 2013.

    Officials in Guinea and Gambia both said they had heightened screening measures along their borders to prevent the spread.

    Democratic Republic of Congo’s health ministry said it had dispatched a team of 12 experts to the northwest to try to trace new contacts of the disease, identify the epicentre and all affected villages and provide resources.

    Ebola is most feared for the internal and external bleeding it can cause in its victims owing to damage done to blood vessels.