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After a flurry of news reports yesterday – some suggesting that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was `out of control’ - we’ve an update from the World Health Organization this morning that endeavors to clarify the situation.
Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo – update
14 September 2012 - Retrospective epidemiological investigation recently identified additional confirmed and probable cases with Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).
As of 12 September 2012, 41 cases (9 laboratory confirmed, and 32 probable) have been reported from Haut-Uélé district in Province Orientale. Of these cases, 18 have been fatal. (5 confirmed and 13 probable). 18 healthcare workers are included among the probable cases. 28 suspected cases have also been reported and are being investigated.
Since the last update, an additional 27 cases (1 laboratory confirmed and 26 probable) of EHF were identified through retrospective epidemiological investigation in the two health zones of Isiro and Viadana. The retrospective epidemiological investigation was done to identify cases of illness which might have been EHF between the end of April 2012 and August 2012, and thus help clarify the possible origins of the outbreak and provide additional information on chains of transmission. In addition, active field epidemiological investigation is continuing to help identify all possible chains of continuing transmission of the illness, to ensure that appropriate measures are immediately taken to interrupt the transmission, and stop the outbreak.
Over the past 24 hours the World Health Organization has been updating the situation via Twitter, as well. Below you’ll find their tweets (ranked oldest to newest) on the Congo outbreak.
Follow @WHO for more updates.
Ebola was first discovered in Zaire and Sudan in 1976 and since then has become almost legendary for its incredibly high fatality rate and gruesome hemorrhagic symptoms.
As a public health threat, Ebola – which has been blamed for fewer than 2,000 deaths over the past 30+ years - pales in comparison to most of the world’s less feared infectious diseases.
Simple childhood pneumonia, claims 1.8 million lives each year (cite) and Malaria claims between one half, to one million lives a year (cite).
Despite its relative rarity, movies like 1995’s Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman, and books like Tom Clancy’s Executive Orders and The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, have helped to turn Ebola into the ultimate nightmare disease in the eyes of the public.
There are currently five known strains of the disease, of which four are highly pathogenic in humans.; Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and Ebola-Bundibugyo.
This outbreak, in the DRC, is caused by Ebola-Bundibugyo.
The odd virus out - Ebola Reston - which can infect and kill non-human primates, can infect humans, but has not been shown to produce disease.
While the zoonotic reservoir for the Ebola virus has yet to be firmly established, bats are considered to be a likely candidate.
For more background on the Ebola virus the CDC’s Special Pathogens Branch has an extensive webpage on the virus.
Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
About the Disease
For the General Public
- Questions & Answers
- Information on Ebola hemorrhagic fever
[PDF - 215 KB]
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