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Angola/DR Congo: Yellow Fever Outbreak - Jan 2016

Disaster description

On 21 January 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Angola notified WHO of an outbreak of yellow fever. The first cases were identified in the district of Viana (Luanda province) on 5 December 2015.

As of 8 February, a total of 164 suspected cases and 37 deaths had been reported in Angola. The majority of cases (n=138) had been reported in the province of Luanda. Other affected provinces include Cabinda, Cuanza Sul, Huambo, Huila and Uige. Suspected cases are undergoing laboratory testing in order to rule out other aetiologies and cross reactions with yellow fever. (WHO, 12 Feb 2016)

On 22 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) notified WHO of cases of yellow fever (YF) in connection with the outbreak currently occurring in Angola.

From early January to 22 March 2016, a total of 151 suspected cases of YF, including 21 deaths (CFR: 14%), were reported by the national surveillance system. Of the 151 suspected cases, 9 were confirmed by serology (IgM) at the Institute National Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa. Given possible cross-reactions with other arboviruses, IgM positive samples were sent to the Pasteur Institute of Dakar for confirmation where 4 tested positive for the infection. Of the 4 cases confirmed in Dakar, 3 were imported from Angola and were detected in the areas of Nsona-Pangu, Kimpese and Kitona in Kongo Central province (formerly, Bas-Congo), DRC. This province shares borders with Angola. (WHO, 12 Apr 2016)

As of 15 July 2016 a total of 3682 suspected cases have been reported, of which 877 are confirmed. The total number of reported deaths is 361, of which 117 were reported among confirmed cases. Suspected cases have been reported in all 18 provinces and confirmed cases have been reported in 16 of 18 provinces and 79 of 125 reporting districts.(WHO, 21 July 2016)

Four months have passed without a single case of yellow fever related to the outbreak in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, thanks to the joint response activities of national health authorities, local health workers, WHO and partners.

The outbreak, which was first detected in Angola in December 2015, had caused 962 confirmed cases of yellow fever across the two countries (884 in Angola 78 in DRC) by 16 November 2016, with more than 7300 suspected cases. The last confirmed case reported in Angola was on 23 June and DRC’s last case was on 12 July. (WHO, 25 Nov 2016)

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared the end of the yellow fever outbreak in that country today following a similar announcement in Angola on 23 December 2016 (WHO, 14 Feb 2017)

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