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 5 October 2014 is 8,033 with 3,879 deaths. Thirty-five percent of all Ebola cases in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have occurred in the past 21 days. Widespread under-reporting of new cases is believed to be occurring in Liberia, and the situation in the country continues to deteriorate from week to week. The number of treatment beds available in Liberia and Sierra Leone still falls well short of what is required. There is also great need to train more medical staff and improve burial processes. Denial of the existence of EVD remains a challenge.

Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person diagnosed with the Ebola virus in the United States, has died. Public health authorities continue to monitor 48 contacts, 10 of which are considered to be at high risk. Federal officials have announced that temperature screenings of passengers arriving from West Africa will begin at five U.S. airports: O’Hare in Chicago, Kennedy International in New York, Washington Dulles International, Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta and Newark Liberty International.

Spanish officials have confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in a nurse in Madrid, who had cared for an EVD-infected missionary repatriated from Sierra Leone. The nurse is the first person known in the current outbreak to have contracted the deadly virus outside Africa. Tracing and monitoring of the patient's contacts is currently in progress. Fifty-five contacts have been identified with six individuals under quarantine.

It has been 34 days since the last confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria and 39 days since the last confirmed case of Ebola in Senegal. In the separate outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo, 816 contacts have now completed the 21-day follow-up and 305 contacts continue to be 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

Note: this email was sent BCC: All Staff Abt, All Abt JTA