Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/06/news-scan-jun-15-2020
News Scan for Jun 15, 2020
More DRC Ebola cases; Malaria control amid a pandemic; Dengue in the Americas
Filed Under:
Ebola; VHF; Malaria; Dengue; Chikungunya; Zika
Five more illnesses reported in new DRC Ebola outbreak
Officials reported five more illnesses and three more deaths in a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to figures reported today by the country's multisectoral Ebola response committee (CMRE).
The new developments raise the outbreak total to 17 cases, 14 of them confirmed and 3 listed as probable. The new deaths raise the fatality count to 11.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week in its latest situation report that the outbreak has affected six health areas in three health zones: Mbandaka, Wangata, and Bikoro. Sequencing suggests that it is not related to the larger ongoing outbreak in the eastern part of the country, where the total stands at 3,463 cases, 2.280 of them fatal. If no new cases are reported by Jun 25, the larger outbreak will be declared over.
Jun 14 CMRE report
Jun 8 WHO situation report
PAHO warns of the COVID-19's impact on malaria control in the Americas
A new report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says malaria cases are on the decline in several South American countries, but warns that the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on the region's malaria elimination efforts.
Overall, the region saw a decline in the number confirmed cases from the first 18 weeks of 2019 through the first 18 weeks of 2020, led by a 58% reduction in Venezuela. Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico have also seen decreases. But while a decline in malaria was being observed in those countries prior to the pandemic, the arrival of the coronavirus may be reducing case-detection activities and care-seeking for suspected malaria.
In addition, PAHO reports that several malaria-endemic areas, such as the State of Amazonas in Brazil, have been hit hard by COVID-19, with high incidence and mortality rates.
Based on a recent WHO analysis in sub-Saharan Africa of the potential effects of COVID-19 on malaria incidence and mortality, the group estimates that. in the worst-case scenario of a 75% disruption in access to malaria services and treatment, there could be a 20% increase in cases and a 100% increase in deaths compared with 2018.
"As the dispersion of COVID-19 transmission increases, the situation in all the mostly rural malarial areas will become more critical, given the high vulnerability of the populations and the weaknesses of the healthcare systems," the report said.
Despite the overall reduction in malaria cases observed in the region, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Suriname all saw an increase in malaria, with cases in Panama rising by 238%.
The report urges countries in the region to "maintain continuity of actions against malaria in line with national pandemic response arrangements."
Jun 10 PAHO report
PAHO: Dengue, other arbovirus infections down a bit from 2019
In the first half of 2020, dengue and other arbovirus illnesses in the Americas have declined about 10% compared with the same time in 2019, which was an epidemic year, PAHO said in a recent update.
Of 1,645,678 cases, 97.3% were dengue infections. The total also includes 37,279 chikungunya cases and 7,452 Zika infections. Brazil has the highest proportion of dengue case, with 65%. Others affected areas are Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Colombia, with Honduras, Colombia, and Brazil having the highest number of severe cases.
All four serotypes are circulating in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, with six countries or territories reporting the circulating of three serotype combinations. So far, the Americas region has reported 553 dengue deaths.
For chikungunya, 11 of 24 countries reported cases, but 95% of the cases and all 8 deaths were in Brazil. Among all Zika cases, 86% this year have been in Brazil.
Jun 10 PAHO epidemiologic update
News Scan for Jun 15, 2020
More DRC Ebola cases; Malaria control amid a pandemic; Dengue in the Americas
Filed Under:
Ebola; VHF; Malaria; Dengue; Chikungunya; Zika
Five more illnesses reported in new DRC Ebola outbreak
Officials reported five more illnesses and three more deaths in a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to figures reported today by the country's multisectoral Ebola response committee (CMRE).
The new developments raise the outbreak total to 17 cases, 14 of them confirmed and 3 listed as probable. The new deaths raise the fatality count to 11.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week in its latest situation report that the outbreak has affected six health areas in three health zones: Mbandaka, Wangata, and Bikoro. Sequencing suggests that it is not related to the larger ongoing outbreak in the eastern part of the country, where the total stands at 3,463 cases, 2.280 of them fatal. If no new cases are reported by Jun 25, the larger outbreak will be declared over.
Jun 14 CMRE report
Jun 8 WHO situation report
PAHO warns of the COVID-19's impact on malaria control in the Americas
A new report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says malaria cases are on the decline in several South American countries, but warns that the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on the region's malaria elimination efforts.
Overall, the region saw a decline in the number confirmed cases from the first 18 weeks of 2019 through the first 18 weeks of 2020, led by a 58% reduction in Venezuela. Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico have also seen decreases. But while a decline in malaria was being observed in those countries prior to the pandemic, the arrival of the coronavirus may be reducing case-detection activities and care-seeking for suspected malaria.
In addition, PAHO reports that several malaria-endemic areas, such as the State of Amazonas in Brazil, have been hit hard by COVID-19, with high incidence and mortality rates.
Based on a recent WHO analysis in sub-Saharan Africa of the potential effects of COVID-19 on malaria incidence and mortality, the group estimates that. in the worst-case scenario of a 75% disruption in access to malaria services and treatment, there could be a 20% increase in cases and a 100% increase in deaths compared with 2018.
"As the dispersion of COVID-19 transmission increases, the situation in all the mostly rural malarial areas will become more critical, given the high vulnerability of the populations and the weaknesses of the healthcare systems," the report said.
Despite the overall reduction in malaria cases observed in the region, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Suriname all saw an increase in malaria, with cases in Panama rising by 238%.
The report urges countries in the region to "maintain continuity of actions against malaria in line with national pandemic response arrangements."
Jun 10 PAHO report
PAHO: Dengue, other arbovirus infections down a bit from 2019
In the first half of 2020, dengue and other arbovirus illnesses in the Americas have declined about 10% compared with the same time in 2019, which was an epidemic year, PAHO said in a recent update.
Of 1,645,678 cases, 97.3% were dengue infections. The total also includes 37,279 chikungunya cases and 7,452 Zika infections. Brazil has the highest proportion of dengue case, with 65%. Others affected areas are Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Colombia, with Honduras, Colombia, and Brazil having the highest number of severe cases.
All four serotypes are circulating in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, with six countries or territories reporting the circulating of three serotype combinations. So far, the Americas region has reported 553 dengue deaths.
For chikungunya, 11 of 24 countries reported cases, but 95% of the cases and all 8 deaths were in Brazil. Among all Zika cases, 86% this year have been in Brazil.
Jun 10 PAHO epidemiologic update