SOUTH AFRICA ON HIGH ALERT AFTER BREAKOUT OF EBOLA IN DR CONGO

PRETORIA, The South African Department of Health says it is on high alert following the reported outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on May 12 that nine suspected cases and three deaths of persons with Ebola virus disease (EVD) were reported from a remote forested area in the Likati Health Zone of Bas Uele Province in the northern part of the DRC, bordering the Central African Republic (CAR).

There is a low risk of transmission to South Africa. However, South African Emergency Departments and clinicians are advised to be on the alert for cases of fever and/or haemorrhagic symptoms among returning travellers from the area, the Department of Health said here Wednesday.

The South African Port Health authorities have also been informed and continue to screen persons who enter the country via airports for fever. However, no travel restrictions are in place.

As of May 20, a total of 37 suspected EVD cases and four deaths have been reported in the DRC, giving a case fatality rate of 11 per cent. The reported cases are from five health areas, namely Nambwa (12 cases and three deaths), Muma (four cases and no deaths), Ngayi (16 cases and one death), Azande (three cases and no deaths), and Ngabatala (two cases and no deaths).

No healthcare workers have been affected to date. The majority of the cases presented with fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and other bleeding symptoms and signs. The outbreak currently remains confined to Likati Health Zone.

This is the eighth Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC since 1976. The last outbreak occurred in 2014 with 66 cases and 49 deaths. Ebola virus is transmitted following direct contact with persons infected with the virus ďż˝ through contaminated body fluids including blood, stool, urine, saliva and semen, or with an environment contaminated with body fluids.

Symptoms develop eight to 10 days after contact and include fever, weakness, myalgia, headache, sore throat, abdominal pain, rash and bleeding from mucous membranes. Treatment is supportive. Rapid implementation of infection control measures, as soon as the disease is suspected, is essential.

Meanwhile, the department also said it was keeping close watch in Limpopo and Mpumalanga following the malaria outbreak in those provinces. It added that through district outbreak response meetings, it had been able to monitor on a daily basis developments around malaria cases.

There has been a high number of malaria cases in South Africa in the 2016/17 season, compared with the previous season. This has been attributed to the rise in ambient temperature, rainfall and humidity. The outbreaks were reported in Mopani and Vhembe districts (Limpopo) and in the Bushbuckridge sub-district of Mpumalanga in early May 2017, the department said.

However, the department has reported a decline in the overall number of reported malaria cases in Mpumalanga and Limpopo over the past two weeks.

With the Kruger National Park being a known malaria risk area, the Health Department advised travellers to malaria transmission areas in South Africa, as well as to neighbouring countries, to take precautions against malaria.

Any residents or travellers from both low and high malaria risk areas in South Africa, presenting with fever and flu-like symptoms, are strongly advised to attend a healthcare facility or see their doctor for a malaria test, even if chemoprophylaxis was taken,” it said.

A negative malaria test must be treated cautiously and repeated. Any person with a travel history to a malaria risk area, who presents with fever and flu-like symptoms is unlikely to have influenza at this time since it is very early in the 2017 influenza season.”

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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