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Highlights
On 15 August, two confirmed Ebola cases were reported for the first time in South-Kivu province, in Mwenga health zone (Chowe). The same health zone reported a third confirmed case on 17 August. On 17 August, one confirmed Ebola case was recorded in a new health area located 150 km North-West of Goma in Pinga health zone. To date, 29 health zones in three provinces have been affected by the Ebola outbreak.
In Mangina, UNICEF took the opportunity of the Yira/Nande International Conference that took place from 10 to 18 August to mobilize the community and share Ebola prevention messages. Moreover, an agreement between Mangina response teams and the Yira/Nande community was signed during the closing ceremony.
Since 12 August, UNICEF provided summer school centers with 20 recreational kits, reaching 11,876 children, including 3,980 girls, with Ebola prevention messages in Nyankunde, Komanda, and Mambasa health zones, Ituri province.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
2,888 total reported cases (MoH, 18 August 2019)
2,794 confirmed cases (MoH, 18 August 2019)
776 children <18 among confirmed cases (MoH, 11 August 2019)
1,844 deaths among confirmed cases (MoH, 18 August 2019)
16,231 contacts under surveillance (MoH, 18 August 2019)
UNICEF Ebola Response Appeal US$ 126.03 million
Key Epidemiological Developments
Since August 2018, confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) continue to be reported both in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. During the reporting period, an additional province, South Kivu, was reached by the EVD for the first time.
As of 18 August, a total of 2,888 EVD cases were reported, among which 2,794 confirmed and 94 probable cases. More than two thirds of EVD confirmed cases have died: 1,938 deaths, among which 1,844 confirmed and 94 probable cases (global case fatality ratio remains 67 per cent). During the reporting period (week 33), the number of new reported confirmed cases continued to decrease slightly from 68 cases in the previous week to 57 confirmed cases. However, while the intensity of transmission may have reduced, there has been geographic expansion.
South Kivu province was newly affected by the EVD outbreak with three confirmed cases in the health area of Chowe in Mwenga health zone, 150km South-West of the provincial capital Bukavu. The first two cases were a mother and her child who had been in contact with a confirmed case in Beni before travelling back to South Kivu. Both victims have died. The third case is a contact of the first case. EVD has also spread to an additional health zone in North Kivu, Pinga, in the territory of Walikale.
The cumulative number of health zones that have reported at least one confirmed and/or probable case of EVD since the beginning of the epidemic has increased to 29 since the beginning of the outbreak. Eighteen of them (62 per cent) have reported at least one confirmed EVD case in the last three weeks. A total of 220 health areas have reported at least one confirmed or probable case of EVD since the outbreak began, of which 65 have been active in the past three weeks.
Beni and Mandima health zones remained the hotspots of the epidemic, with respectively 33 and 20 per cent of 215 confirmed cases reported during the last three weeks.
Among the new confirmed cases listed as contacts, the proportion of contacts followed on a regular basis in week 33 (31 per cent) decreased significantly compared to the week before (74 per cent), partly due to security constraints. The proportion of community deaths among all confirmed cases of EVD continued to increase (26 per cent in week 32 vs 32 per cent in week 33).
Two additional health personnel have been infected by EVD during the last week, thus reaching 154 health staffs since the beginning of the outbreak.
Of the total confirmed and probable cases with reported sex and age, 58 per cent (1,672) were female