Going Viral-Ebola vaccine is having ‘major impact’ but Congo outbreak may still explode; pg12

[link to www.who.int]

WHO advice
WHO continues to advise against any restriction of travel and trade to the Democratic Republic of the Congo based on the currently available information. WHO continues to monitor travel and trade measures in relation to this event, and currently there are no restrictions on international traffic in place.

[link to www.google.fr (secure)]

Translated from the french article linked above (less than 50%) :

(...)
As Mbandaka is located on the Congo River and connected to Kinshasa by numerous river connections, "there is a real risk of national and regional amplification" of the epidemic, warned Peter Salama, director of emergencies of WHO.
(...)
The provincial government of Ecuador reported on Friday "three suspicious cases" in Mbandaka, "two of which are in the Church of the End Time" and "a typical case in Makapela Church", in a neighborhood from the outskirts of Wangata commune. Congolese churches are crowded every Sunday, many Congolese turning to religion, seeking healing and solidarity. According to the authorities quoted by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), "514 people have been in contact with known cases" of Ebola patients. These people are "under surveillance", according to WHO.

Panic In Mbandaka, the carelessness noted Thursday morning quickly panic at mid-day, when the population learned by radio confirmation of a case of Ebola in the city.

[link to allafrica.com]

Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Warns of Ebola Outbreak in Major City of Mbandaka

The Democratic Republic of Congo warned late on Wednesday that the nation's Ebola outbreak had entered a "new phase" after a case was discovered funding was cut.

Just a remark, Mbandaka is linked to the capital Kinshasa by the river and the road but there is also a small airport, with 3 flights by week to Kinshasa.

Link ?

Nothing will happen.

Ebola will blow over just like years ago.

GLP effect is full display soon.

This could get very ugly soon. I remember reading crofts blog last time around. Very informative.

Loose in a city with over a million people. What could possibly go wrong?

Hey Water!

The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.

[link to www.who.int]

[link to www.promedmail.org]

Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Mbandaka is a port city of 1.2 million people. "The possibility of the virus spreading is huge," says virologist Yap Boum, who works with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) noting that while Ebola is incubating undetected--which can take several weeks--the victim is already infectious. - Mod LK]



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Date: Tue 15 May 2018
Source: Focus Taiwan [edited]
[link to focustaiwan.tw]


Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on [Tue 15 May 2017] issued a travel warning for the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing a new outbreak of the Ebola virus there.

In its Level 2 travel advisory, the CDC cautioned against travel to the affected areas and urged people to stay away from wildlife if such visits cannot be avoided and to take preventative measures against infection. ...



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[link to www.mediacongo.net]


Gabon, where Ebola has already arisen many times and killed many people in the past, has taken seriously the threat of a possible spread of the epidemic from the DRC. The country has decided to reactivate its Ebola Response Committee to be ready. ...-more



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Date: Tue 15 May 2018
Source: This Day Live [edited]

[link to www.thisdaylive.com (secure)]


The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed Nigerian airlines, especially those operating international and regional destinations, to be vigilant in the screening of passengers before they are allowed to board flights to the country. This is aimed at preventing travellers who have Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from coming to Nigeria.



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Source: Media Congo [in French, machine trans., edited]

[link to www.mediacongo.net]


The epidemic of Ebola presents risks, according to the WHO representative in the Congo, Dr. Fatoumata Binta Diallo, for some departments of the Congo. -Brazzaville and some countries in the region.

"The epidemic has erupted in Equateur; the localities of Mbandaka and Bikoro are very close to the Likouala department, specifically the city of Liranga. As such, the WHO has declared some countries at very high risk. These are the Congo, the Central African Republic, all those countries that are bordering the DRC and especially this area [Congo]. We are on full alert, we are already in a position to prepare and respond quickly,..."she said.

The Equateur region in the DRC is bordering the department of Likouala. The 2 regions, whose populations exchange daily, are separated by the Ubangi River which leads to the Central African Republic.

[snip]

Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Bikoro is in a very remote area of a country that has poor road infrastructure; it is situated on a lake connecting the highly trafficked Congo and Ubangi rivers. From there, people infected with Ebola can hop boats to major cities like the DRC's capital Kinshasa or nearby Brazzaville -- a potential public health nightmare officials are trying to prevent quickly.

Brazzaville, city (commune), capital, and river port of the Republic of the Congo and former capital of French Equatorial Africa, is situated on the north bank of the Congo River below Malebo (Stanley) Pool, across from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its population is estimated to exceed 1.8 million. Over a third of the population of the Republic of Congo lives in the capital.

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: [link to healthmap.org] - Mod.LK]

Posted by a woman on Twitter :
"Didn’t we cure that stuff few years ago???"

First it made me laugh but actually it's worrying how some (most?) people are ignorant about this!