Ethiopia / ILRI / Kenya / Unofficial

UPDATE: Ebola Outbreak – Update as of 14th August 2018

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Please find update on Ebola as below: http://www.who.int/csr/don/14-august-2018-ebola-drc/en/

Ebola Outbreak Alert

Following the declaration on 1st August 2018 of another Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 36 deaths have been confirmed so far.

The epicentre of the outbreak is Mangina in the region of Beni, in the strife-torn eastern province of North Kivu.

WHO Risk Assessment

The following four countries have been put on high alert: Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

Points of entry screening have been identified and implemented in the following neighbouring countries: Burundi, Central African Republic, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.

There have been no travel restrictions issued against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenyan Response

North Kivu shares borders with Rwanda and Uganda. Beni town is the epicentre of the outbreak and is about 700km away from Busia and Malaba borders.

In view of this, surveillance measures have been employed for Ebola detection to prevent spread to the country.

The surveillance measures include the following:

  1. Obtaining detailed personal, clinical and contact information of all travellers from the DRC at all ports of entry
  2. Obtain a history of travel of any traveller from the DRC within the previous three weeks
  3. Re-activation of outbreak management teams and making them ready to respond

ILRI Health and Safety Response

All concerns and queries regarding the Ebola outbreak in DRC are to be addressed to EOHS at E.Khaemba and relevant Director.

Please contact your Director and EOHS before travel to or from affected Country thus DRC. Include Gail Amare at g.amare for travel to or from Ethiopia.

Travel to the affected province of Kivu in DRC and Beni town, as well as to areas in Rwanda and Uganda bordering DRC will require approval by Director General (DG) – ILRI.

Travelers from DRC to ILRI campuses in Kenya and Ethiopia will require travel risk assessment completed and approval of DG ILRI. Request for such travel may be made by sending an email to EOHS at E.Khaemba. The authorization for travel shall be communicated within 48 hours.

EOHS will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds.

Regards

Ephy Khaemba

EOHS/ Research Compliance Manager