RSOE EDIS: Democratic Republic of the Congo - Epidemic Hazard - 2010.03.31

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2010-03-31 04:59:09 - Epidemic Hazard - Democratic Republic of the Congo EDIS CODE: EH-20100331-25535-COG Date & Time: 2010-03-31 04:59:09 [UTC] Area: Democratic Republic of the Congo, , Kitule area, !!! ALERT !!! Number of Infected person(s): 6 Affected Foreign Citizen(s)! Not confirmed information! Description: 6 suspected cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded between 2 and 14 Mar 2010 in the Kitule Health Zone, which lies 135 km south of Buta in Orientale province in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to Bienvenue Apatala, a physician in the Kitule Health Zone who confirmed this information on Thursday [25 Mar 2010], 3 of the 6 victims have died, and the other 3 patients are in a nearby hospital. The virus responsible for this outbreak has not yet been identified. However, all 6 patients exhibited similar signs: high fever, extreme fatigue, and vomiting with discharge of blood. Blood samples from the patients have been sent to Kinshasa for appropriate laboratory analysis. This outbreak of disease with symptoms reminiscent of Ebola hemorrhagic fever has created panic in the local population. Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus infection is usually accompanied by a rapid rise in temperature, extreme weakness, myalgia, headache and difficulty in swallowing. Fever is succeeded by vomiting, renal insufficiency, hepatitis and hemorrhage. The disease is transmitted by contact with blood and other secretions. There is no specific vaccine for protection against Ebola hemorrhagic fever. The name of Hazard: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) Species: Human Status: Suspected Posted:2010-03-31 04:59:09 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu