Dear Colleagues,

As of 5 April there have been 25,550 reported confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of EVD with 10,587 reported deaths. In the current week there were a total of 30 confirmed cases of the disease, the lowest number in nearly a year. In response to the decrease of cases, the WHO has called a meeting of independent experts to review whether West Africa's outbreak still constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern", which it declared in August 2014.

The last known Ebola case in Liberia was a patient who died on 27 March. Over 300 contacts of the patient are being monitored; none have shown symptoms so far. The virus continues to recede in Sierra Leone as well. The country reported a total of 9 cases, its fifth consecutive weekly decrease.

In Guinea, which had 21 new infections, there has been mixed success. While detection of the disease has improved, unsafe burials continue. The WHO has reiterated its warning that unknown chains of transmission in the country could be a source of new infections in the coming weeks. A three-day door-to-door campaign to improve community participation in surveillance activities and identify suspected cases will begin in Guinea on 10 April.

The WHO is currently working with local authorities in Liberia and Sierra Leone to decommission unneeded Ebola facilities. Both countries will retain a core capacity of Ebola treatment centers with additional rapid-response capacity held in reserve. These facilities will be strategically located to ensure comprehensive geographic coverage.

Pease 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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