News Scan for Apr 07, 2016

Liberia's Ebola cluster grows to 3, linked to fatal case in Guinea

Two Ebola case-patients, both children, and one fatality in Liberia have been linked to a fatal Ebola infection in Guinea's ongoing flare-up, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, increasing the number of recent cases in Liberia to three.

The Liberian fatal case involves the wife of a deceased Ebola patient in Guinea's Macenta prefecture. She and her three children traveled to Monrovia, Liberia, following the man's death, where she developed symptoms of Ebola and died on Mar 31.

Two of her sons have tested positive for Ebola and are receiving treatment in a Monrovia hospital, the WHO said. More than 100 of the family's Liberian contacts are being monitored for signs of infection.

Blood tests have confirmed that the Ebola recurrence in Guinea and Liberia can be traced to one known survivor, and small flare-ups or clusters are likely to continue due to viral persistence in people who have recovered, the WHO said.

Liberia has instituted infection control measures and is preparing to vaccinate contacts of the deceased woman and her children, the WHO said. Guinea, where nine Ebola cases have been confirmed since late February, has already vaccinated 1,400 identified contacts to halt transmission.

see more at: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/04/news-scan-apr-07-2016