{Edited}
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening,
Today, I had a call with the Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo concerning the new outbreak of Ebola disease in the country’s north-eastern Ituri Province.
Currently, WHO is aware that 13 cases of Ebola have been confirmed by the L'Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, I.N.R.B., in Kinshasa.
On the fifth of May, WHO received a signal of suspected cases and sent a team to Ituri to support DRC health officials in their investigation of the outbreak and collect samples in the field, which initially tested negative for Ebola.
Samples were subsequently sent to I.N.R.B., which yesterday confirmed some as positive for Ebola.
This is the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak in DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. DRC has a strong track record in Ebola response and control, and I have also assured the Minister of our full support.
The World Health Organization’s Representative to DRC, and other WHO experts, are in Ituri and working side-by-side with DRC health authorities to respond to, and contain the outbreak.
Additional WHO experts in risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, clinical care and logistics will join the WHO team already on the ground in coming days.
We have deployed medical supplies and protective equipment for infection prevention and control to Bunia, the Ituri provincial capital.
Today, I have released US$ 500 000 from WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies to immediately support the response.
Priority actions include:
° risk communication and community engagement,
° strengthening disease surveillance,
° active case finding and contact tracing,
° infection prevention and control in health facilities,
° expanding access to safe clinical care, and increasing laboratory testing capacity.
WHO will continue working to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bring this Ebola outbreak under control, and will deploy resources, and work with and mobilize partners across the region, to contain its spread and care for those affected.
The outbreak is a reminder of the persistent threat to human health of disease outbreaks, and the importance of cooperation and solidarity to continually strengthen global health security.
The response to the hantavirus outbreak is a recent, prime example of what can happen when the world comes together to confront a disease threat.
Yesterday, I wrote again to the people of Tenerife to thank them for the solidarity they showed to the passengers and crew of the MV Hondius affected by the hantavirus outbreak.
WHO worked together with approximately 30 governments, the ship’s captain, crew and passengers, the cruise ship operator and, crucially, the people of Tenerife to manage this crisis.
This show of support from Tenerife will not be forgotten.
Today, I hope the rest of world is inspired by the spirit of the Tenerife and Spanish people.
At a time of great division, tension and uncertainty, we must respond jointly to common challenges that our global community faces, in the spirit of cooperation.
For as we at WHO always say, solidarity is the best immunity.
I am pleased to report that the operation to transfer the ship’s passengers from Tenerife has been successfully completed, with more than 120 people now being cared for in their home countries, or quarantined in host countries enroute to their final destination.
Captain Jan Dobrogowski and his 26-member crew are still onboard the MV Hondius and are expected to dock in the Netherlands on Monday.
I remain in regular contact with Captain Jan and again salute him and his crew for their dedication to their passengers, and each other. He has informed me that there are still no symptomatic persons on board as of today.
WHO repeats that the risk from this event to the global population is low, and we will continue to issue updates as needed.
As of today, a total of 10 cases, including three deaths, have been reported to WHO, including eight people who were laboratory-confirmed for Andes virus infection and two probable. There have been no further deaths reported since the second of May.
Because of the long incubation period of up to 6 weeks, more cases may be reported in coming days as passengers return to their countries, where they are being quarantined and tested in specialized facilities or at home.
This does not mean the outbreak is expanding; it shows that the control measures are working, that laboratory testing is ongoing, and that people are being cared for with support from their governments.
It is incredible to think that it was less than two weeks ago, on the second of May, that WHO was first notified by the United Kingdom, through channels established under the International Health Regulations, of an unknown respiratory disease onboard the ship.
WHO immediately convened affected countries, shared information with all Member States, worked with the governments in Cabo Verde, Spain, the Netherlands and beyond, to coordinate the medical evacuation of sick patients and repatriation of passengers and crew.
WHO rapidly developed and shared technical guidance for the disembarkation of the people on board and their repatriation home, for quarantine and follow up.
WHO continues to coordinate the global response and our work is not finished.
Our current priorities are to continue actively following up on the status of confirmed and suspected cases; to continue to better understand the epidemiology of Andes hantavirus, including how this outbreak began and spread; and to foster scientific collaboration for optimal clinical care of patients infected with this virus.
In addition, we are working with more than 20 countries to coordinate studies to better understand the natural history of the disease.
Today, an open scientific consultation on Andes virus medical countermeasures was convened by the UK Health Security Agency, and supported by the WHO R&D Blueprint, to identify gaps, improve coordination and establish priorities for research and development into potential hantavirus therapeutics and vaccines.
The importance of vaccines for protecting health cannot be underestimated.
(...)
Thank you and Tarik, back to you.
Source:
____
No comments:
Post a Comment