New Ebola Case in Sierra Leone; WHO Continues to Stress Risk of More Flare-ups
A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, reflecting the ongoing risk of new flare-ups of the virus in affected countries.
The Sierra Leone government acted rapidly to respond to this new case. Through the country’s new emergency operations center, a joint team of local authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are investigating the origin of the case, identifying contacts and initiating control measures to prevent further transmission.
WHO stressed in a statement on Jan. 14, 2016 that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone remain at high risk of additional small outbreaks of Ebola in the coming months due to the virus persisting in survivors after recovery.
"We are now at a critical period in the Ebola epidemic as we move from managing cases and patients to managing the residual risk of new infections,” says Dr. Bruce Aylward, WHO’s special representative for the Ebola Response, yesterday. “We still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them.”
Sierra Leone is still in a 90-day period of enhanced surveillance following the declaration on Nov. 7, 2015 of the end of Ebola transmission in the country. This period is designed to ensure no hidden chains of transmission have been missed and to detect any new flare-ups of the disease.
Source: WHO
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
