Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 292 fatalities

[Shiloh]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 220 fatalities

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...53598445120.11

Sierra Leone cholera spreads, death toll hits 220
(AFP) ? 2 hours ago

FREETOWN ? Sierra Leone's health ministry said Thursday that deaths from a cholera outbreak had reached 220, affecting over 12,000 people in the west African nation, which is struggling to curb the disease.

"Some 12,140 people are affected nationwide in 10 of 12 districts," the health ministry's director of disease prevention and control, Amara Jambai, told journalists, saying the figure included cases recorded up to Wednesday.

This is two more districts than were reported last week when the death toll stood at 176, prompting President Ernest Koroma to declare the outbreak a "public health emergency.."

[Giuseppe]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 220 fatalities

[Source: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Cholera in Sierra Leone (Update 24 August 2012)
24 August 2012



Since the beginning of the year, Sierra Leone has recorded 12 456 cases of cholera, with 224 deaths (Case Fatality Rate of 1.8%).

The rate of new cases has accelerated rapidly since the beginning of August.

Ten of the country?s 13 districts are now registering cases with Western Area and Port Loko being the most affected.

The President of Sierra Leone has declared the escalating cholera epidemic a ?humanitarian crisis?.

Consequently, a multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted involving the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), as well as other line ministries such as finance information and communication, and local government, together with partners and stakeholders.

The ?Presidential Cholera Task Force? held its first meeting on 23 August 2012.

The National Emergency Task force continues to meet every Thursday to review progress and guide the technical sub-committees dealing with surveillance, case management, water and sanitation, logistics and social mobilization.

The MOHS, in partnership with M?decins sans Fronti?res (MSF), UNICEF, WHO, and other partners, is implementing the following prevention and control activities: epidemiological investigation, surveillance, case management at established cholera treatment centres, water and sanitation control measures, social mobilization and community education.

WHO continues to support Sierra Leone in the areas of epidemiology, social mobilization and surveillance.


WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 224 fatalities

WHO/UNICEF Sierra Leone
Cholera situation in Sierra Leone, 27 August 2012

Nationally the cholera incidence continues to show
an upward trend particularly in Western Area which
accounts for the majority of cases (49%). As of the
27 August 2012 the national cumulative for all ten
districts is 13,918 cases with 232 deaths (CFR=1.7).
Western Area(183), Bombali (20) and Tonkolili (17)
reported the highest number of cases. Cholera outbreak
has been confirmed in Kenema district in the
East of the country bringing the number of affected
districts to 11. Reported data indicate 16 cases with
no deaths.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Sierra-Leone-WHO-UNICEF-Daily-Updates-27August2012%5B1%5D.pdf

[Giuseppe]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 232 fatalities

[Source: World Health Organization, full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Cholera in Sierra Leone ? update

30 August 2012



Since the beginning of the year, Sierra Leone has recorded 13,934 cases of cholera, with 232 deaths (Case Fatality Rate of 1.7). The rate of new cases has accelerated rapidly since the beginning of August. Eleven of the country?s 13 districts are now registering cases with Western Area and Port Loko being the most affected. The most recently affected district is Kenema district.

The President of Sierra Leone has declared the escalating cholera epidemic a ?humanitarian crisis?. Consequently, a high-level Presidential Cholera Task Force has been established to oversee coordination, mobilize resources and guide response.

A multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted involving the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), as well as other line ministries such as finance information and communication, and local government, together with partners and stakeholders.

A Cholera Control and Command Centre (C4) has been established at the WHO Country Office in Freetown to better coordinate all the response activities to the cholera outbreak.

This approach was previously used and proved effective in the response to the Cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe in 2008-2009.

The first C4 meeting took place on 28 August 2012 and will subsequently be held daily. The C4 comprises all the technical sub-committees dealing with surveillance, case management, water and sanitation, logistics and social mobilization.

The MOHS, in partnership with M?decins sans Fronti?res (MSF), UNICEF, WHO, and other partners, is implementing the following prevention and control activities: epidemiological investigation, surveillance, case management at established cholera treatment centres, water and sanitation control measures, social mobilization and community education.

WHO continues to support Sierra Leone in the areas of epidemiology, social mobilization, surveillance and has mobilized experts from the AFRO Regional Office (including Inter-country Support team) and WHO headquarters.

The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) has provided experienced case management and laboratory expertise from the International Center for Diahorrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) who have long-standing experience in responding to cholera internationally.


WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 232 fatalities

First Positive Cholera Case in Kenema

A member of the District Health Management Team (DHMT) in Kenema who is the Disease Surveillance Officer Mohamed Koroma has disclosed during a radio discussion program over the Eastern Community radio FM 101.9 that one Positive case of cholera has been discovered in Kenema on Sunday 26th August 2012.
He says since the 2nd of August 2012 the District Health management Team has put modalities in place by setting up an isolation unit at the government hospital compound to tackle the cholera disease in case it surfaces in Kenema city so that it will not kill people and it will be put under control immediately.
Medical personnel he said are there to investigate health cases and to report the findings to the public.
Mohamed Koroma disclosed that from the 2nd to the 27th August 2012 the isolation unit set up at the government hospital in Kenema have received 163 cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in which some of the patients takes four to ten hours of treatment and are then discharged. Out of the 163 cases, 78 cases are male and 85 female. Five people have died of the disease in Kenema city of which four are male and a female.
...

http://www.awoko.org/2012/09/03/first-positive-cholera-case-in-kenema/

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 232 fatalities

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone cholera death toll rises to 244
Report? Agence France-Presse
09/03/2012 16:40 GMT

FREETOWN, Sept 3, 2012 (AFP) - A cholera epidemic in Sierra Leone which was declared a national emergency in mid-August has claimed 244 lives and affected 14,521 people, said a statement from a special cholera task force Monday.

"We are continuing to map out strategies in support of initiatives to eradicate the outbreak," read the statement from a presidential task force which was set up shortly after the outbreak was declared an emergency.

Sierra Leone has been hit by its worst outbreak of the water-borne disease in nearly 15 years and cases are expected to peak at around 32,000 in September, the west African nation's rainiest month, according to the World Health Organisation.
...

http://reliefweb.int/report/sierra-leone/sierra-leone-cholera-death-toll-rises-244

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 244 fatalities

Cholera in Sierra Leone and Guinea ( Situation as of 01 September 2012)

...
Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone declared an outbreak of cholera in 12 out of 13 districts: Bo, Bombali, Bonthe, Kambia, Kono, Moyamba, Port Loko, Pujehun, Tonkolili, Kenema, Koinadugu and Western Area (Freetown included as of 01 August). No Cholera cases reported from Kailahun district.

As of the 01 September 2012, a total of 15 308 cases with 249 deaths (CFR=1.6%) had been reported.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Sierra-Leon_Guinea-Cholera-01sept2012.pdf

[Giuseppe]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 249 fatalities

[Source: World Health Organization, full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Cholera in Sierra Leone - update



8 September 2012


The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) is closely working with partners at the national and international levels to step up response to the cholera outbreak that has affected Sierra Leone since the beginning of the year.

As of 5 September 2012, a total of 16,360 cases including 255 deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.6% have been reported from 12 out of 13 districts. The Western area of the country where the capital city of Freetown is located, reported more than 60% of all new cases.

The President of Sierra Leone has declared the cholera epidemic a ??humanitarian crisis??. A high level Presidential Cholera Task Force was established to oversee coordination, mobilization of resources and guide the response. A multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted involving the MOHS and other line ministries such as Finance, Information and Communication, and local governments together with partners and stakeholders.

With support from national and international partners and donors, including UNICEF, Oxfam, British Red Cross, Save the Children, Care, Concern MSF, DFID, OCHA, IRC, and WHO, the MOHS is scaling up the response particularly in the areas of coordination of the overall response, surveillance and case management.

A Cholera Control and Command Center (C4) has been established at the WHO Country Office in Freetown to strengthen the coordination, and support the MOHS and other health providers to implement activities related to Cholera Preparedness and Response Operation Plan (CPROP), in order to bring the epidemic under control as soon as possible. The C4 will also provide information to guide the decision-making of the national task force.

Emphasis is being placed on early detection of cases and timely provision of treatment at the district levels, in order to reduce deaths. Cholera cases are managed in Cholera treatment units (CTUs) and where there are no established CTUs, emphasis is placed on designating specific areas within the health facilities for isolation purposes.

WHO through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) has provided experienced case management and laboratory experts from the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) to build capacity among health care workers and laboratory technicians in case management and laboratory diagnosis.

Laboratories at the national level are being supplied with appropriate materials and reagents to collect, transport and analyze laboratory specimens. Laboratory confirmation is important, particularly in new areas experiencing the cholera outbreak.

There are ongoing community interventions on cholera prevention and control activities. More than 200 traditional healers have been oriented on cholera. Community meetings are organized in Freetown to raise awareness to avoid drinking water from unprotected water sources. Text messages are also being used to channel information to the public by telephone companies. UNICEF and other partners are supporting water, sanitation and hygiene activities.

With respect to this event, WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

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[Giuseppe]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 255 fatalities

[Source: World Health Organization, full page: (LINK). Edited.]

Cholera in Sierra Leone ? update

18 September 2012



As of 16 September 2012, a cumulative total of 18,508 cases including 271 deaths (with a case fatality ratio of 1.5%) has been reported in the ongoing cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone since the beginning of the year.

The highest numbers of cases are reported from the Western area of the country where the capital city of Freetown is located.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) is closely working with partners at national and international levels to step up response to the cholera outbreak. The ongoing activities at the field level include case management; communication and social mobilization; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion; surveillance and data management.

Emphasis is being placed on early detection of cases and timely provision of treatment at the district levels in order to reduce deaths. Cholera cases are managed in cholera treatment units (CTUs) and where there are no established CTUs, emphasis is placed on designating specific areas within the health facilities for isolation purposes.

At the national level, the Cholera command and Control Centre (C4) continues to provide technical advice, coordinate and monitor the outbreak. The C4 was established to implement activities related to the Cholera Preparedness and Response Operation Plan (CPROP) in order to bring the epidemic under control as soon as possible. The C4 will also provide information to guide the decision-making of the national task force.

WHO and partners are supporting the government in the response to the outbreak. Through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), experienced case management and laboratory experts from the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) are deployed to build capacity among health-care workers and laboratory technicians in case management and laboratory diagnosis.


With respect to this event, WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 271 fatalities

Cholera in Sierra Leone - update

8 OCTOBER 2012 - The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) continues to work closely with partners at the national and international levels to step up response to the ongoing cholera outbreak. Twelve of the 13 districts in Sierra Leone have been affected since the beginning of the year.

In the last 2 months, remarkable progress has been made in controlling the outbreak. A steady decline in daily reported cases continues to be observed. As of the 2 October 2012 the national cumulative number for all twelve districts is 20 736 cases, including 280 deaths (case fatality rate or CFR=1.35%). The cumulative CFR declined from an average of 3.2% in July 2012 to below 0.5% in September 2012. Two (2) deaths have been reported in the last 8 days (since 23 September 2012). The western area of the country where the capital city of Freetown is located has been the most affected location with more than 50% of total cases.

In July 2012, the President of Sierra Leone declared the cholera epidemic a ??humanitarian crisis??. A high level Presidential Cholera Task Force was subsequently established to oversee coordination, mobilization of resources and guide the response. A multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted involving the MOHS and other line ministries such as Finance, Information and Communication, and local governments together with partners and stakeholders.

With support from national and international partners and donors, including United Nations Children?s Fund (UNICEF), Oxfam, British Red Cross, Save the Children, Care, Concern, M?decins Sans Fronti?res (MSF), UK Department of International Development (DFID), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and WHO, the MOHS has scaled up the response particularly in the areas of coordination of the overall response, surveillance and case management.

A Cholera Control and Command Center (C4) has been established at the WHO Country Office in Freetown to strengthen the coordination, and support the MOHS and other health providers to implement activities related to Cholera Preparedness and Response Operation Plan (CPROP), in order to bring the epidemic under control as soon as possible. The C4 also provides information to guide the decision-making of the national task force.

Emphasis is being placed on hygiene promotion, early detection of cases and timely provision of treatment at the district levels, in order to reduce deaths. Cholera cases are managed in Cholera treatment units (CTUs) and where there are no established CTUs, emphasis is placed on designating specific areas within the health facilities for isolation purposes.

The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) has provided experienced case management and laboratory experts from the International center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) to build capacity among health care workers and laboratory technicians in case management and laboratory diagnosis.

Laboratories at the national levels have been supplied with appropriate materials and reagents to collect, transport and analyze laboratory specimens. Laboratory confirmation is important, particularly in new areas experiencing the cholera outbreak.

With respect to this event, WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2012_10_08/en/index.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sierra Leone: Cholera 2012; 280 fatalities

Sierra Leone: Cholera ( Situation as of 16 October 2012)

A total of 21 986 cases and 292 deaths (CFR: 1.33%) reported from 12 out of 13 districts.

Event description

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) continues to work closely with partners at the national and in-ternational levels to maintain the response to the ongoing cholera outbreak. Twelve of the 13 districts in Sier-ra Leone have been affected since the beginning of the year.
In the last 2 months, remarkable progress has been made in controlling the outbreak. A steady decline in dai-ly reported cases continues to be observed. As of the 16 October 2012 the cumulative number for all twelve districts is 21 986 cases, including 292 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.33%. The CFR was 3.2% in July 2012, 1.5 in August and has reduced to below 0.8% in September 2012. The Western Area dis-trict where the capital city?Freetown is located has been the most affected location with more than 50% of total cases.
In July 2012, the President of Sierra Leone declared the cholera epidemic a ??humanitarian crisis??. A high level Presidential Cholera Task Force was subsequently established to oversee coordination, mobilization of resources and guide the response. A multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted, involving the MOHS and other line ministries such as Finance, Information and Communication, and local governments together with partners and stakeholders.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Sierra-Leone-Cholera_20121017-2.pdf