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South Sudan + 38 more

Weekly Bulletin on Outbreaks and other Emergencies: Week 42: 14 to 20 October 2024 Data as reported by: 17:00; 20 October 2024

Attachments

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:

  • Anthrax in South Sudan
  • Measles in Ethiopia
  • Dengue in Senegal

For each of these events, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation, is provided.

A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as recent events that have been controlled and closed.

Major issues include

The confirmation of an anthrax outbreak in Warrap and Western Bahr el Ghazal States, particularly among vulnerable internally displaced populations, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive action. Most of cases are among males, particularly above 15years, and none of the affected individuals had been vaccinated, which highlights a significant gap in herd immunity. Jur River County has the highest human cases, pointing to possible local risk factors contributing to the outbreak. The situation is also dire for livestock, with a high animal mortality rate, underscoring the urgency for vaccination efforts and improved health measures along the one health scope.