Short resume prepared for ProMed. 3rd April 2014 EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE – GUINEA: Update on Sierra Leone border survey and preparedness. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) of Sierra Leone is currently implementing health surveillance checkpoints along the borders with both Guinea and Liberia,, where confirmed and suspected Ebola virus cases have been earlier reported. In order to effectively manage this emergency The MOHS has established National Outbreak Response task force and the following actions have been taken in response to the potential for spread of the epidemic. • The office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is coordinating all operations involving suspected cases of Ebola as well as the follow-up investigation. • Active surveillance of suspected cases meeting the WHO case definition for either Ebola or Lassa fever is ongoing and in an as-needed basis. • National Taskforce biweekly meetings are being held, bringing together all senior officials of national and international health institutions to provide them with relevant information in real time. • The MOHS, the UN, foreign governments, NGOs and other National and International stakeholders are currently positioning support funds and other resources to aid in sensitization, distribution of PPE and care guidelines, educational campaigns by radio and television, and other support. Metabiota Inc., working under the MOHS and with the WHO Country Office, had previously installed Zaire Ebola-specific PCR, which was used to screen the first cases reported to PROMED. Since that time and under MOHS and WHO guidance, Metabiota Inc., with support from international partners from the US (USAMRIID, DTRA, NIH and others) and France has installed and are currently running a full suite of Ebola specific and differential diagnostics, including : WHO recommended Zaire Ebola-specific RT-PCR, Zaire Ebola-specific antigen and IgM capture ELISAs, pan-filovirus RT-PCR, as well as published PCR assays for the detection of Lassa fever, yellow fever and other confounding, locally endemic pathogens. WHO, Metabiota, and other partners are providing the recommended full personal protection equipment (PPE) for health workers exposed to suspected cases. On March 30th 2014, after the MOHS “Ebola survey and preparedness” initiative that started on March 19th 2014, the MOHS of Sierra Leone has carried out 4 epidemiological investigations with multidisciplinary field teams to investigate suspected cases reported by local health centers. Over 15 suspected cases (contact with confirmed from a suspected infected patient from Guinea) have been investigated by the field team, at which time blood samples were collected, tested negative by RT-PCR for all existing known five Ebola virus species. Samples from two patients from Guinea, collected by the Guinean authorities (border proximity of the investigation field teams) were also referenced to the Kenema laboratory and were found to negative for Ebola, Marburg, Yellow Fever and Lassa fever by RT-PCR. The MOHS National Task Force, working with Metabiota, Tulane University and other partners, is continuing to actively conduct surveillance for Ebola virus, as well as Lassa fever, and the Kenema Government Hospital has been designated as the central treatment facility for anyone suspected of contracting either Ebola or Lassa fever. A specialized infectious disease ambulance previously provided by Metabiota is being used to transport suspected cases and every precaution made to protect both health care workers and local populations from the risk of spread of the diseases.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 12:03:08 +0000