23 May 2005

Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the Republic of the Congo

Since 27 April 2005 , an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome has been occurring in Etoumbi and Mbomo districts in the Cuvette-Ouest region of the Republic of the Congo [1]. As of 17 May 2005 , eleven cases including nine deaths have been reported [2]. One case has been laboratory confirmed as Ebola haemorrhagic fever and the other ten cases are epidemiologically linked.

The Ministry of Health, the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and Médecins Sans Frontières-Holland are in the field, carrying out surveillance, following up contacts (68 in Etoumbi and 13 in Mbomo) and raising awareness about the disease among the population in the affected districts.

Outbreaks of Ebola haemorrhagic fever have been reported from the Republic of the Congo and neighbouring Gabon in previous years [3]. The Ebola virus is transmitted via close contact with bodily fluids from an infected person.

Anyone who is considering travelling to the Republic of the Congo is advised to consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the World Health Organization websites for the latest information. Although the risk of infection is extremely low (there have not be any known reports of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in UK travellers to date [4]), travellers should avoid contact with ill persons and are advised to seek medical attention immediately if they experience any illness with fever within ten days of leaving affected areas.

References

• WHO Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response. Suspected acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome in the Republic  of the Congo . Geneva : World Health Organization, 13 May 2005 [online] [cited 18 May 2005 ]. Available at http://www.who.int/csr/don/2005_05_13/en/index.html .

•  WHO Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response. Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the Republic of the Congo . Geneva : World Health Organization, 18 May 2005 [online] [cited 18 May 2005 ]. Available at http://www.who.int/csr/don/2005_05_18/en/index.html.

• WHO Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response. Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Geneva : World Health Organization, [online] [cited 18 May 2005 ]. Available at http://www.who.int/csr/don/archive/disease/ebola_haemorrhagic   _fever/en/.

Health Protection Agency (HPA). Illness in England , Wales and, Northern Ireland associated with foreign travel - a baseline report to 2002. London : HPA, 2004. Available at http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAweb
Standard/HPAweb_C/1195733837101?p=1191942149509.