International SOS: Ebola

	Latest News Last Updated: November 18, 2014 22:25 GMT
	EBOLA APP USERS - GO TO EBOLA WEBSITE FOR ACTIVE HYPERLINKS Suspected imported cases 18 November: Sierra Leone: There are 89 newly-confirmed cases reported by the Ministry of Health. Read more... Mali: The World Health Organization reports that there are now a total of 5 confirmed and 1 probable cases. All contacts of the 2-year-old index case in Kayes have completed the 21-day monitoring period. None of them had Ebola. Read more... Liberia: The President has a set a goal of "zero new cases by Christmas." 17 November: Sierra Leone: An additional 54 confirmed cases have reported by the Ministry of Health. Read more... United States: The infected doctor who was evacuated from Sierra Leone to Omaha, Nebraska, has died. Travellers from Mali will now be subjected to enhanced screening measures when they arrive in the U.S. Read more... Mali: The Ministry of Health reports that the number of cases remains unchanged at 4 with 3 deaths. Over 442 contacts are under observation. Read more... Aid: A Chinese medical team of 160 personnel have arrived in Liberia. It consists of medical experts, epidemiologists, doctors, nurses, engineers and technicians. They will manage the Ebola Treatment Unit at the Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports Stadium, which was built and funded by China. 15 November Sierra Leone: An infected doctor from Sierra Leone has been medically evacuated to the United States for treatment at a medical facility in Omaha, Nebraska. A number of other healthcare workers evacuated from West Africa have been treated there. In other news, a recently-opened laboratory has significantly reduced the wait time for Ebola test results in Sierra Leone. Results are now available within 48 hours, instead of nine days. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced its plans to open 10 Ebola Community Care Centers in Bombali district of Sierra Leone this week. Read more... Mali: The Ministry of Health reports that there are four confirmed cases and three deaths. Over 340 contacts linked to the case in Bamako are under observation. Unconfirmed sources report that two people who attended an infected Imam's funeral may have died of Ebola. Read more... Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): The Ebola outbreak has been declared over. Read more... Canada: Clinical trials of Ebola vaccine VSV-EBOV will soon begin in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) will lead the trial. Results are expected in early 2015. 14 November Mali: A doctor who is employed at the Pasteur Clinic in Bamako has tested positive for Ebola, as published in a United Nations  report. Contact tracing is underway and at least 185 individuals are being monitored. Media sources reported another death at the Gabriel Toure Hospital in Bamako. Preliminary tests were positive for Ebola. United States: A doctor infected with Ebola in Sierra Leone will be evacuated to Nebraska Medical Center for treatment. Read more... Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health reported an additional 9 deaths and 61 confirmed cases. Read more... WHO: The World Health Organization's latest Situation Report details 14,413 total cases across eight countries with 5177 deaths. Intense transmission continues in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone see country pages for more detail. This report also details a total of 570 healthcare workers known to have been infected with Ebola (Guinea: 93; Liberia: 332; Mali: 2; Nigeria: 11; Sierra Leone: 128; Spain: 1; United States: 3). Investigations by WHO indicate a significant number of Ebola infections in healthcare workers occurred outside of the health care context. 13 November WHO: According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) Ebola Response Roadmap Situation Report, intense transmission continues across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. At a national level, Guinea and Liberia did not register any increase in new case detection, though Sierra Leone has noted an uptick. In total, there have been at least 14,000 confirmed, probable and suspected cases worldwide with nearly 5,200 deaths. More than 560 healthcare workers have been infected by Ebola, and over half of them died. Cases and deaths continue to be under-reported. Out of the 53 Ebola treatment centres planned, 19 are now functional. Laboratory capacity has been expended so that samples from all districts affected by the outbreak can now be sent to a laboratory within 24 hours. All contacts being monitored in the US and Spain completed the 21-day follow-up period. None had Ebola. Spain will be declared Ebola-free in early December, as long as no new cases occur there. Mali has reported three new Ebola cases, all of which are unrelated to the first case in the country (the infected 2-year-old girl from Guinea). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had an Ebola outbreak unrelated to the one in western Africa. No new cases have been detected in DRC for over a month. Sierra Leone: Health officials have confirmed 66 new cases. According to media sources, over 400 healthcare workers have gone on strike at the Bandajuma Ebola treatment centre near Bo. The clinic is operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and is the only treatment centre in the southern part of the country. The workers have not been paid the weekly risk allowance fees promised by the government for over two months. Read more... Liberia: Media sources report that Liberia's president will not extend the state of emergency declared in August. The state of emergency officially expired earlier this month. It allowed authorities to restrict movement in and out of areas affected by the virus. Some of the measures, such as curfews and school closures, will remain in place. Read more... 12 November Mali: Details about the nation's second case are emerging, and indicate a high risk for a larger outbreak in the country. A nurse who died of the disease on 11 November in Bamako was likely infected when caring for a traveller from Guinea. That person died 27 October. The Pasteur Clinic in Bamako is under quarantine. Intense contact tracing is underway. A doctor is reportedly being monitored for suspected Ebola infection. Read more... Sierra Leone: There are 94 newly-confirmed cases reported by the Ministry of Health. Read more... 11 November Mali: Late in the day, media reports stated that a new case had been detected in Mali, unrelated to the 2-year-old girl who died in Kayes. International SOS is investigating and following the situation closely. Read more... Earlier today, the World Health Organization (WHO) released additional information about the index case and the rigorous efforts made by the Ministry of Health to trace her contacts. Of the 108 contacts identified, 25 have completed the 21-day monitoring period. The others will complete their 21 days of monitoring on 14 November. So far, none have shown Ebola symptoms, creating a cautious optimism that an Ebola outbreak may not result from this case. Read more... Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health reported an additional 90 confirmed cases. The government approved a one-time death benefit payment of US$5,000 to the families of health care workers who die from Ebola in the line of duty. Hazard incentive payments are being processed for frontline staff. Read more... Liberia: The Ministry of Health reported 14 deaths and 28 suspected and probable cases as of 8 November. Read more... United States: The doctor in New York City who had been treated at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York is reported to be free of the virus. He's returned home following his discharge from the hospital. The UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) Situation Report (PDF) includes a warning that "even with reports of the rate of new cases beginning to slow down, we are still a long way off from ending this crisis." In Sierra Leone, there is an increase in new cases reported in Koinadugu district, with 50 deaths since mid-October and hundreds of people placed in quarantine. In Sierra Leone, between 2,600 and 7,000 children have been orphaned by Ebola. Aid: Japan has pledged an additional US$100 million to aid the fight against Ebola. 10 November Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health has reported additional cases. Read more... Europe: The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) published new guidelines for the management of health professionals returning from Ebola-affected countries. (PDF) The options used for monitoring will be chosen according to how likely it was that the person was exposed to the disease. The guidelines highlight the need for individual risk assessments. This information was presented to the EU Health Security Committee (HSC) audio conference on 7 November 2014, where other topics included the co-ordination of public health measures at external borders, medical evacuation issues, and the SANCO mission to Africa regarding exit screening. (PDF) 9 November Mali: None of the monitored contacts of the 2 year-old who died of Ebola have developed symptoms. This includes the child's grandmother and about 100 other people. However, authorities were unable to trace around 40 people who had contact with the sick girl. Read more... Sierra Leone: There are 45 newly-confirmed cases reported by the Ministry of Health. Read more... Aid: A historic roundtable meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 8 November, brought together the African Union, African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and African business leaders to create an Ebola response fund. The fund will be used "to boost efforts to equip, train and deploy African health workers to fight the epidemic" reports the AfDB, who will manage the fund. Any resources mobilised will form part of a longer-term project to increase Africa's capacity to deal with future outbreaks. The meeting participants also committed to stronger collaboration between the African Union and private sector for addressing development issues in the region. In addition, the European Union is scaling up their response to the Ebola outbreak, with pledges by member states totaling more than 1 billion euros. Additional funding will go towards sending more material aid, providing capacity for medical evacuations of international aid workers and Ebola research. Nearly 300 million euros will be dedicated to research, particularly large-scale clinical trials of vaccines, vaccine manufacturing and developing faster diagnostic tests. The WHO Travel and Transport Task Force released a statement upholding their advice against general bans on travel or trade, and against general quarantine of travellers from affected countries. Instead, WHO recommends robust exit screening measures for all people leaving affected countries, adequate preparedness in currently unaffected countries and thorough education so that that travellers know the symptoms of infection and steps to take if they fall ill. A study published in PLoS Current Outbreaks used statistical modelling to examine the impact of various interventions on the Ebola outbreak. The outbreak is predicted to continue increasing until the end of the year, without reaching its peak by then. The results also show that improving infection control and contact tracing will reduce the number of cases, but these interventions will not halt the progress of the outbreak. Pharmaceutical treatments may reduce the number of deaths, but will not affect the overall progression of the outbreak. The authors conclude that “near-term, practical interventions to address the ongoing Ebola epidemic may have a beneficial impact on public health, but they will not result in the immediate halting, or even obvious slowing of the epidemic. A long-term commitment of resources and support will be necessary to address the outbreak.” 8 November WHO: The latest Ebola Response Roadmap Situation Report (PDF) from the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there have been 13,268 cases and 4,960 deaths worldwide due to Ebola. Active transmission is ongoing throughout Sierra Leone, and the capital cities in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone remain hotspots for disease spread. In addition, WHO released a protocol for 'How to conduct safe and dignified burial of a patient who has died from suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease.' Burying an infected body is a high-risk activity; this advice is designed to decrease that risk while still allowing families and communities to be part of the burial and perform religious rites. Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health reports an additional 41 confirmed cases for 7 November. Read more... CDC: The U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control released Interim Recommendations for Cleaning Houses Safely in West Africa. These recommendations aim to reduce the risk of spread of Ebola virus to household members after an Ebola patient has been moved. The key points are that only one person should do the cleaning and appropriate protective equipment must be worn if having contact with body fluids. 6 November WHO: In its eleventh Ebola Response Roadmap Situation Report, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that transmission remains persistent and widespread across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The three capital cities continue to be significant hotspots. At least one case has been reported from every district in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, the weekly incidence of cases may have stabilised in Guinea and is declining in Liberia. Cases continue increasing in Sierra Leone. Cases and deaths are likely being under-reported. In total, there have been over 13,000 confirmed, probable and suspected cases with more than 4,800 deaths. Over 540 healthcare workers have been infected, more than 300 of which died. Potential contacts continue to be monitored in the affected countries. WHO conducted a review of personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines. The 90-day-plan to reverse Ebola in West Africa was implemented. Study: The New England Journal of Medicine published a review of Ebola cases in Conakry, Guinea. They conclude, based on available data, that most people were likely infected through household contact with other Ebola patients. Healthcare workers were also at risk. They highlighted that dehydration was a common factor among patients. These findings help put focus on preventing chains of infection in healthcare settings and reiterate the importance of early rehydration and electrolyte balancing for people with Ebola. International response: Media sources report that China will send about 1,000 healthcare workers to the three Ebola-affected nations. A unit of the People’s Liberation Army will also be sent to Liberia to help in fighting the outbreak. Australian authorities have committed to running an Ebola treatment centre under a British-led plan to open large treatment centres in Sierra Leone. Australia will also send healthcare staff. Canada: Media sources report that the World Health Organization (WHO) asked Canadian officials to justify the nation's new travel restrictions. Officials recently announced that they would not issue travel visas for residents or citizens of countries with widespread and persistent Ebola transmission. This measure directly contradicts the WHO's repeated statement that travel bans will not stop the outbreak, but in fact could inadvertently foster further disease spread. WHO advises against such bans. Canada is one of over 190 countries that are bound by the International Health Regulations (IHR), designed to provide a global framework for disease response. The IHR stipulates that countries taking measures stronger than those recommended by WHO need to justify their decision with scientific and public health rationale. Canada's justification is awaited. There is no provision in the IHR compelling nations to comply with WHO recommendations. Australia faced criticism when it recently enacted similar restrictions on visas for people from Ebola-affected areas. Guinea: There have been 32 newly-confirmed cases and 11 deaths as of 2 November. Read more... Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health reported an additional 36 confirmed cases for 5 November. A 92-bed Ebola treatment facility has opened at Kerry Town, south of the capital Freetown. Read more... Spain: The infected 44-year-old nursing assistant has been discharged from Carlos III Hospital, Madrid. Read more... New Zealand: According to media sources, officials plan to send volunteers to West Africa to fight the Ebola outbreak. They will probably be sent as a part of the British contingent that is present to ensure medical care for volunteers who need it. Liberia: The US military’s 25-bed Monrovia Medical Unit will be opened this weekend. It has been established specifically to treat national and international healthcare workers who get sick while working with Ebola patients. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued Interim Guidance for the U.S Residence Decontamination for Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) and Removal of Contaminated Waste. It lists “effective disinfectant products and procedures, guidance for contract companies to follow in dealing with contaminated wastes, and guidance on how to use personal protective equipment (PPE).” 5 November Sierra Leone: 56 additional confirmed cases were reported by the Ministry of Health on 4 November. Read more... Mali: There are 108 people being monitored for symptoms. Contact tracing continues to find people who may have had contact with the country's single case, an infected baby girl, while she journeyed by bus. 4 November United States: The 21-day surveillance period for 52 people being monitored in Ohio ends today. These people were being monitored after coming into contact with the second nurse infected with Ebola in the US. There are no cases of Ebola in Ohio. The last person being monitored in Texas will end their 21-day period on 6 November. No additional cases were noted in Texas following the infection of the two nurses in Dallas. WHO: The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated expert assessment missions to assess the Ebola preparedness of several member states. The mission aims to assess the medical capabilities in the event of an Ebola outbreak, recognise gaps in their preparedness and response plans and take steps to fill in gaps. In each country, a team of WHO experts will review the assessment with “…national experts, United Nations Country Teams and other relevant partners.” The missions have been completed in Morocco and Somalia. Other countries that will undergo this exercise include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, occupied Palestinian territory, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen. China: Media sources have reported that medical staff returning from Ebola-affected countries will be quarantined for 21 days. They will undergo several tests before entering the quarantine period. It is still unclear whether the quarantine will be home-based or occur in a secure isolation setting. Anyone who develops symptoms will be sent to a designated hospital. Sierra Leone: An additional 61 confirmed cases were reported by the Ministry of Health on 3 November. Read more... 2 November United Kingdom: The Department of International Development (DFID) is funding three new Ebola laboratories in Sierra Leone. The lab in Kerry Town started operations last week. The others are being built in Port Loko and Makeni. China: The nation has implemented its third phase of material assistance to Ebola-affected countries. Planes carrying protective equipment and medication were due to land in the capital cities of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone on 1 November. China is providing similar assistance to other African countries including Mali, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria. France: At the request of the World Health Organization, a United Nations staff member who had been infected on the job in Sierra Leone has been evacuated to France for treatment. The patient is in isolation in the army hospital in Saint-Mandé, where other Ebola patients have been treated. Sierra Leone: The WHO Country Office situation report for today advises there are 196 Ebola patients admitted in treatment units - 18 in Kenema, 44 in Kailahun, 25 in Bo and 109 in Western Area. A report from the Africa Governance Initiative indicates that Ebola is now spreading even faster than it was in September. Read more... 1 November Sierra Leone / Norway: Norway is sending equipment and up to 200 healthcare workers to the United Kingdom's Treatment Centre in Moyamba. China: All travellers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone arriving into Guangzhou, Guangdong are issued a kit to monitor their health. The kit includes a thermometer and a cellular phone with local SIM card so communicable disease authorities are able to track and contact them promptly. The phone must be turned on for at least 21 days after arrival. Failure to comply will result in being denied entry in future. end quote from: https://www.internationalsos.com/ebola/index.cfm?content_id=407&