Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa: 218 Cases, 141 Deaths
Infectioncontroltoday.com
Apr. 28, 2014
Guinea
As of April 23, 2014, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 218 clinical cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), including 141 deaths. To date, 191 patients have been tested for ebolavirus infection and 115 cases have been laboratory confirmed, including 72 deaths. In addition, 42 cases (34 deaths) meet the probable case definition for EVD and 61 cases (35 deaths) are classified as suspected cases. Twenty-six (26) health care workers (HCW) have been affected (18 confirmed), with 16 deaths (12 confirmed).
Clinical cases of EVD have been reported from Conakry (58 cases, including 24 deaths), Guekedou (127/91), Macenta (22/16), Kissidougou (6/5), Dabola (4/4) and Djingaraye (1/1). Laboratory confirmed cases and deaths have been reported from Conakry (37 cases, including 19 deaths), Guekedou (63/41), Macenta (13/10), Kissidougou (1/1) and Dabola (1/1). The date of onset of the most recent clinical case, a suspected case, is 23 April while the date of isolation of the most recent confirmed case is 22 April. Two new deaths have also been reported among existing cases; one of the deaths was a patient with confirmed EVD. Thirteen (13) patients are in isolation in Conakry (6 patients, 5 confirmed), Guekedou (7 patients, all confirmed). Contact tracing activities continue in all affected areas.
Overall, the epidemiological situation in Guinea has improved significantly over the last few weeks. The date of onset of the last reported case from Macenta was 24 days ago and a similar time has elapsed for Dabola (25 days), Kissigougou (26) and Djingaraye (31 days). Two incubation periods (42 days) without cases is the standard for declaring an EVD outbreak over in a particular location.
The focus of response activities at present includes clinical case management and ongoing training in hospital-based infection prevention and control (IPC). A documentary will be made on the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) isolation facility in Guekedou. WHO, in collaboration with the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), has mobilized a new medical team comprising of IPC and intensive care physicians in support of the clinicians at the Donka Hospital in Conakry.
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