Ebola Situation Report (9 September 2015)

During the week leading up to 6 September 2015, there were a total of two confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) that were reported:  1 in Guinea and 1 in Sierra Leone.  Both cases that were reported during this period were registered contacts associated with previous cases in the same areas of Conakry, Guinea, and Kambia, Sierra Leone, in the past two weeks.  According to officials, the overall case incidence has remained stable, with 2 – 3 confirmed cases being reported per week for six consecutive weeks.  Currently, there are a total of three active chains of transmission:  two in and around the capital Conakry, Guinea; and one in the western district of Kambia, Sierra Leone.  All remaining contacts associated with transmission chains in Forecariah, Guinea completed follow-up in the week leading up to 6 September.  Additionally, during this recording period, Liberia was declare free of Ebola virus transmission for a second time on 3 September, 42 days after the country’s last laboratory-confirmed case, which was associated with the Margibi cluster of cases.  Liberia has now entered a 90-day period of heightened surveillance.  The total number of contacts currently under observation in Guinea and Sierra Leone has increased from approximately 450 on 30 August to approximately 1300 on 6 September.  Officials have indicated that this increase is largely attributed to the single high-risk community death that was reported in Kambia, Sierra Leone, at the end of the previous reporting week (week leading up to 30 August.)

There have been a total of 28,141 reported confirmed, probable and suspected cases of EVD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with 11,291 reported deaths.

Guinea

 The single confirmed case that was reported in Guinea in the week leading up to 6 September had onset of symptoms in the Ratoma area of the capital, Conakry.  The case is a 13-year-old girl, who is a registered contact and relative of 2 cases that were reported from the same area of the city during the previous two weeks.  There are currently 292 contacts who are under follow-up in 2 adjacent prefectures:  Conakry (266 contacts) and Dubreka (26 contacts).

Sierra Leone

In the week leading up to 6 September, there was one new confirmed case that was reported in Sierra Leone.  The case is the daughter of the high-risk case that was reported from Kambia the pervious week.  While over 900 contacts have been identified in association with the chain of transmission, the majority of these contacts have been defined by geographical proximity rather than by history of possible exposure and are therefore considered to be at a very low risk.  Authorities however have warned that further cases are expected amongst the approximately 40-high risk contacts that have been identified so far.  The origin of infection of the 67-year-old woman remains under investigation.