Dear Colleagues,
The total number of confirmed, probable, and suspected cases in the West African epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported up to the end of 12 October 2014 is 8,997 with 4,494 deaths. However, this data is not entirely accurate as there is missing information for 12 October from Liberia. The data does indicate that the disease has spread to more geographic locations within Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and new cases continue to explode in areas that looked as if they were coming under control. Overall, there are no signs that the outbreaks in any of these 3 countries are being controlled.
Although efforts to increase the number of available EVD treatment beds have been intensified, finding and training medical teams to staff the centers remains an ongoing challenge. The lack of available treatment beds means many families continue to care for patients at home and thus the risk of transmission within the family and throughout the community is greatly increased. In an attempt to reduce household transmission, Ebola Community Care Units (ECUs)/Community Care Centers (CCCs) are now being introduced. In these facilities, patients suspected of having Ebola can wait for testing without infecting others, while those with confirmed infections can wait in isolation wards until a bed in an official treatment center opens up. Liberia has opened two CCCs and in Sierra Leone, a total of 149 CCCs are planned within the next 10 weeks.
WHO is expected to declare the end of the Ebola outbreak in Senegal on Friday 17 October. Likewise, if no new cases of Ebola are detected, the outbreak in Nigeria is expected to be officially over on Monday 20 October. In Spain, 72 people, including 13 high-risk contacts, are being monitored. In the United States, 125 contacts are being monitored. Yesterday, health authorities in Dallas reported that a second healthcare worker has tested positive for EVD after treating the infected Liberian traveler. Officials have started tracking potential contacts for observation. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 852 contacts have now completed the 21-day follow-up and 269 contacts are still being monitored.
Abt Associates will donate $5,000 to UNICEF, and will match up to $5,000 in staff contributions to organizations working to stop the spread of the Ebola virus. Please remember to send proof of your donation to an organization working on Ebola to Benny Pittman by October 24.
Please email David Rolph, our director of Global Security, david_rolph@abtassoc.com and cc Sarah Dedic, sarah_dedic@abtassoc.com with any questions you have about the status of the outbreak.
Best,
Jay
Jay L. Knott | Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer | Abt Associates
O: 301-347-5896| F: 301-828-9739 | www.abtassociates.com
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