WHO Update & Timeline On Senegal’s 1st Ebola Case

 

 

# 9022

 

On Friday we learned that a fifth African nation had been touched by the Ebola outbreak in Senegal Reports 1st Imported Case Of Ebola.  Initial details were sketchy, particularly concerning the timing of the index cases' arrival and diagnosis.

 

Today the World Health Organization has released an update that, unfortunately, shows this patient was symptomatic, and living with relatives in Dakar for several days before being admitted to the hospital.

 

All of which makes the identification and observation of all of this patient’s contacts during that period of paramount importance. It also appears that this person entered the country prior to last week’s (Aug. 21st) border closing with Guinea.

 

WHO Ebola Disease Outbreak News: Senegal

30/08/2014

Epidemiology and surveillance

On 30 August 2014, Senegal’s Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs provided WHO with details about a case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) announced in that country on 29 August.

WHO has also received details of the emergency investigation immediately launched by the Government. Testing and confirmation of Ebola were undertaken by a laboratory at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar.

The case is a 21-year-old male native of Guinea, who arrived in Dakar, by road, on 20 August and stayed with relatives at a home in the outskirts of the city.

On 23 August, he sought medical care for symptoms that included fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting. He received treatment for malaria, but did not improve and left the facility.

After leaving the facility, he continued to reside with his relatives. Though the investigation is in its early stages, he is not presently known to have travelled elsewhere.

On 26 August, he was referred to a specialized facility for infectious diseases, still showing the same symptoms, and was hospitalized.

On 27 August, authorities in Conakry, Guinea, issued an alert, informing medical services in Guinea and neighbouring countries, that a person, who was a close contact of a confirmed EVD patient, had escaped the surveillance system.

That alert prompted testing at the Dakar laboratory, launched an investigation, and triggered urgent contact tracing.

Health sector response

WHO is treating this first case in Senegal as a top priority emergency. Key operational personnel were dispatched to Dakar today; others will follow.

The Government of Senegal has informed WHO of the urgent need for epidemiological support, personal protective equipment, and hygiene kits. These needs will be met with the fastest possible speed.

Senegal Reports 1st Imported Case Of Ebola

UPDATED: 10:00 Hrs EDT

 

The AP is now reporting this patient is a young man who appears to have been the subject of epidemiological surveillance team who were doing contact tracing of Ebola cases in Guinea, but he evaded them and crossed the border into Senegal. 

The patient sought medical care earlier this week in Dakar after falling ill, and told doctors he’d had contact with Ebola cases. His tests have come back positive for the virus and the WHO have been notified. 

 

 

# 9017

 

 

Senegal, which last week Closed its Border With Guinea Over Ebola Concerns, is reporting this morning an important case in a visitor from Guinea. Details at this time are scant,  and I’ve found nothing posted on the Senegalese Ministry Of Health website.

Gert van der Hoek on Flutrackers has translated article from PressAfrik

 

Urgent - the Senegal recorded his first Ebola case

This is confirmed Senegal recorded its first case of Ebola patient. This is a Guinean national who is on vacation on our soil. He is currently detained at the Department of Infectious Diseases Fann. The Minister of Health, Awa Marie Coll Seck will soon give the details of this unfortunate news.

(Continue . . .)

The following report from Reuters is fairly representative of what is currently in the English press.

  

First case of Ebola confirmed in Senegal - health minister

Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:31pm GMT

 

DAKAR Aug 29 (Reuters) - The first case of Ebola has been confirmed in Senegal, a major hub for the business and aid community in West Africa, Health Minister Awa Marie Coll Seck told a news conference on Friday.

The minister said the case was a Guinean national who had arrived from the neighbouring West African country, where the deadly virus was first detected in March. (Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Emma Farge)

I’ll update this story as more information comes in.

Senegal Closes Border With Guinea Over Ebola Concerns

 

 

# 8984

 

In the wake of South African Cabinet Issues Ebola Related Travel Restrictions  yesterday, we’ve word overnight that Senegal – Guinea’s neighbor to the north – has closed their shared border and have imposed new controls over commerce and transportation between the two nations.

 

Senegal Shuts Border to Guinea Amid Ebola Spread

 (AFP, AP, dpa)

Senegal has closed its border with Guinea and imposed controls for boats and ships hailing from Ebola-hit countries Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. South Africa has imposed similar measures for travelers.

The Interior Ministry in Dakar announced late on Thursday that it would seek to shut off access to Guinea, which borders the southeast of Senegal.

(Continue . .. )

Despite advice to the contrary from the World Health Organization, the hard hit nations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are increasingly being isolated by their neighbors – and by the international community – as they struggle contain this Ebola epidemic.  

 

Some airlines have either canceled, or announced plans to curb, service to the region making it difficult for relief efforts to get personnel or supplies in and out, and severely impacting the local economies.

This, despite consistent messaging from the WHO that air travel  - even to and from Ebola stricken nations – is considered low risk.

 

The WHO’s most recent statement on the issue of travel restrictions reads:

WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions be applied except in cases where individuals have been confirmed or are suspected of being infected with EVD or where individuals have had contact with cases of EVD.

 

Regardless of its scientific or humanitarian merit, this is a message that is having a hard time competing against the daily barrage of horrific images and reporting coming out of the Ebola affected regions.