Ebola Watch, October,28th,2014

Ebola Watch, October,28^th,2014

• USA: Surprisingly fear has gripped more citizens in the US than cases recorded.
• On October 23, the New York reported a case of Ebola in a medical aid worker who had returned to New York City from Guinea, where the medical aid worker had served with Doctors Without Borders. The diagnosis was confirmed by CDC on October 24.
• Texas: On October 10, a healthcare worker at Texas Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the index patient tested positive for Ebola. The patient has since recovered and was discharged from the NIH Clinical Center on October 24
• On October 15, a second healthcare worker at Texas Presbyterian Hospital who provided care for the index patient tested positive for Ebola. The patient is receiving care at a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
• A nurse, who had previously been working with Doctors Without Borders, became the first public test case for a mandatory quarantine. She has won the case, though it is reported she tested negative on investigation. She is presently out of quarantine.
• CDC is implementing enhanced entry screening at five U.S. airports that receive over 94% of travelers from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

• WHO convened a high-level emergency meeting on 23 October to look at the many complex policy issues that surround access to Ebola vaccines Ways to ensure the fair distribution and financing of these vaccines were discussed, as well as plans for the different phases of clinical trials to be performed concurrently rather than consecutively, partnerships for expediting clinical trials, and proposals for getting all development partners moving in tandem and at the same accelerated pace. Summary of report here

• Nigeria & Senegal: WHO officially declared Senegal and Nigeria free of Ebola virus transmission on October 17 and 20,respectively.
• Mali: On October 23, Mali reported its first confirmed case of Ebola in a child who had traveled there from Guinea. The child passed away on October 24.
• New cases continue to be reported from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
• Liberia: It is unclear whether the outbreak is getting under control in Liberia or about to explode again. Need coverage more than ever
• Ghana: No Case YET. Healthcare workers received Trainer of Trainers program which ended last Friday. Operations of the UNMEER still ongoing as it operates from its hdqrs in Accra
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported cases of Ebola. These cases are not related to the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.
• TOTAL: Total Cases: 10141 Laboratory-Confirmed Cases: 5692 Total Deaths: 4922
• MESSAGE: The language over avoiding bats to avoid getting infected is should not be the central, what remains evidenced is having direct physical contacts with persons infected.

Report courtesy Ebola Watch Ghana via AIF Radio XYZ edition

Sources: CDC, WHO, New York Times, Reuters