Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa: 14 New Cases, 5 Deaths

Guinea

From May 23 to May 27, 2014, 4 new districts reported 14 new clinical cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and 5 deaths as follows: Boffa, 5 cases and 1 death; Telimele, 7 cases and 4 deaths; Boke, 1 case and 0 death; and Dubreka, 1 case and 1 death. Community and nosocomial transmission are still occurring in Gueckedou, Macenta, and Conakry.

As of May 27, 2014, the total cumulative number of cases due to EVD is 281 and 186 deaths. The classification of these cases and deaths are as follows: confirmed, 163 cases and 103 deaths; probable, 66 cases and 56 deaths; and suspected, 44 cases and 23 deaths. The geographical distribution of the cases is as follows: Conakry, 48 cases, and 26 deaths; Gueckedou, 176 cases and 126 deaths; Macenta, 31 cases and 19 deaths; Kissidougou, 7 cases and 5 deaths; Dabola, 4 cases and 4 deaths; Djinguiraye, 1 case and 1 death, in addition to the cases and deaths in the newly affected areas. The total number of cases in isolation is 16 (10 in Gueckedou, 3 in Telimele, and 3 in Boffa). The number of contacts under follow-up is 427 (250 in Conakry, 213 in Gueckedou, 126 in Macenta, and 88 in Telimele).

Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, 16 cases, (7 laboratory-confirmed, 9 suspected) and 5 community deaths have been reported from Kailahun district. The district is located in the eastern region of Sierra Leone sharing borders with Gueckedou in Guinea and also with Liberia.

Liberia

In Liberia there have been no new cases since April 9, 2014. Social mobilization and surveillance have been enhanced in border districts. The number of cases remains subject to change due to reclassification, retrospective investigation, consolidation of cases and laboratory data, enhanced surveillance.

In response to the confirmation of an EVD outbreak in Sierra Leone, the World Health Organization (WHO) has held multi-level teleconference to review the situation and propose key actions to be taken. These include establishment of an Emergency Response Team at WHO Country Office, deployment of experts, logistics and supplies, and provision of catalytic funds.

WHO is facilitating the active participation of national authorities and community leaders to address community resistance and hiding of cases in some communities in both Guinea and Sierra Leone.

In Guinea, the Ministry of Health and partners have mounted a response including outbreak investigation, risk assessments, case management, infection control in the newly affected districts, and social mobilization targeting the resistant communities in Gueckedou and Conakry.

WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Guinea or Sierra Leone based on the current information available for this event.

Source: WHO