The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared a Yellow Fever (YF) outbreak and activated a multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre for coordination of Yellow Fever response on 12 November 2020. The outbreak, which mainly affected three states of Delta, Enugu and Bauchi, already recorded ...a total of 222 suspected cases 19 confirmed cases and 76 deaths between 1 and 11 November 2020.
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Under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, public health authorities at international ports, airports and ground crossings are required to establish effective contingency plans and arrangements for responding to events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concer...n and to communicate with their National IHR Focal Point about relevant public health measures.
The current outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has spread across borders through travelers, conveyances, which has prompted demands for the detection and management of suspected cases at points of entry (POE), including ports, airports and ground crossings, on board conveyances.
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On 13 August 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This was followed the next day by the World Health Organization (WHO), which extended the alert internationally as a public ...health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). After these declarations, many countries have made efforts to mobilize resources to introduce or expand laboratory testing, surveillance, and response activities. In particular, as the number of suspected cases surges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and the Central African Republic, and an increasing number of new countries report cases, there is an urgent need to implement testing to strengthen the Mpox response. However, access to appropriate quality assured diagnostics is a challenge. There is limited information on important characteristics, such as available test kits’ performance and ability to detect relevant clades.
To address the challenge of mpox access in the continent, the Africa CDC Diagnostic Advisory Committee (DAC) met in Kigali from 19-23 August 2024 to review the available evidence on molecular tests for Mpox and to shortlist tests that may be useful for Mpox testing in countries. The shortlist aims to provide guidance to Africa CDC, countries and partners on appropriate high-quality molecular tests to procure and use for the mpox response.
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The WHO Ebola Response Team presents new data on Ebola symptoms, case fatality rate, and incubation period, and experts discuss actions needed to deal with the oubreak. Stay informed with Perspective and research articles, an interactive
map of confirmed and suspected cases, and links to the latest... updates on the Ebola Outbreak
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As of 30 June 2023, globally, a total of 24 countries reported AWD/cholera outbreaks. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO, 8 countries namely, Afghanistan, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen have reported Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/ suspected cholera... cases during 2022. In 2023, 6 out of these 8 countries continued to report AWD/ suspected cholera cases in 2023.
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In December 2019 a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified as the causative agent of a severe acute respiratory illness among people exposed in a seafood market in Wuhan, China; • Human-to-human transmission has been documented, including in healthcare workers, and aerosol-generating procedur...es (AGP)† may play a role in the spread of the disease; • There are uncertainties in the natural history of the 2019-nCoV, including source(s), transmissibility mechanisms, viral shedding, and persistence of the virus in the environment and on fomites; • As of 6 February 2020, the following precautions are recommended for the care of patients with suspected or confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV: o For any suspected or confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV: standard + contact + droplet precautions o For any suspected or confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV and AGP: standard + contact + airborne precautions • The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers requires an evaluation of the risk related to healthcare-related activities;
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Ebola infections among health care providers can have devastating effects on individuals, on health care systems and on the communities they serve. This module discusses WHO and CDC infection prevention and control measures that health care facilities should follow to prepare for and to contain an i...nfectious disease outbreak. The module covers infection prevention and control (IPC) in a community and health care setting and looks at IPC in general patient care and in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola. The module also reviews environment cleaning and the management of linen and waste. Finally the module reviews non-patient care activities, such as IPC in burial procedures, and offers a comprehensive final quiz to help users confirm their understanding of the material.
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Infection prevention and control practices need to be implemented to guarantee the safety of healthcare workers and patients in healthcare settings, it is fundamental to prevent cross contamination and containment of spread of COVID 19. As of the day of this publication, the following precautions ar...e recommended for the care of patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19: - For any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19: standard + contact + droplet precautions. -For any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 and Aerosol Generated Procedure: standard + contact + airborne precautions. - The results of the application of this evaluation tool, in addition to other tools, will provide an overview regarding compliance with the activities of prevention and control of infections associated with provision of care in acute healthcare services in a health setting, without making judgments about the individual risk of patients, nor on particular cases. By its nature, this tool is only an external diagnostic to support IPC professionals and managers to assess the gaps and take corrective measures. To provide a tool for assessment of infection prevention and control practices in isolation areas in acute healthcare settings in the context of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These recommendations are preliminary and subject to review as new evidence becomes available.
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In Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, 3 million children have been born into horrific violence that has escalated since March 2015.
Calling for the needs of Yemen’s children to be prioritized, UNICEF’s “Born into War” report reminds involved parties of their legal obligations t...o protect children during conflict—delivering a wake-up call backed by sobering statistics.
5,000 children have been killed or injured in the violence; over 11 million require humanitarian assistance. With the collapse of basic services, schools are closing and disease is spreading. Children under 5 account for a quarter of suspected cholera and acute watery diarrhea cases, which have afflicted over 1 million people.
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Rabies is a disease of animals but too often the outcome is gauged in terms of human suffering and
death. Despite this, in areas of the world where rabies is endemic there is often a lack of communication between veterinary and medical professionals, to the extent that the disease continues to thri...ve and potential victims are not treated. The problem is partly
exacerbated by a lack of awareness and experience of the disease and of what to do when confronted by suspect cases. In these technologically advanced days, although it is possible to learn “all there is to know” about almost any subject, it is sometimes difficult to distil the essence.
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According to the report:
More than 5,000 children have been killed or injured in the violence – an average of five children every day since March 2015.
More than 11 million children now need humanitarian assistance – nearly every child in Yemen.
More than half of the country’s ...children don’t have access to safe drinking water or adequate sanitation.
An estimated 1.8 million children are acutely malnourished, including nearly 400,000 severe acutely malnourished children who are fighting for their lives.
Nearly 2 million children are out of school, including almost half a million who dropped out since the conflict escalated in March 2015.
Suspected cholera and acute watery diarrhea have affected over 1 million people, with children under 5 years old accounting for a quarter of all cases.
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The advice is presented in a Q&A format, addressing the following questions:
Are pregnant women at higher risk from COVID-19?
I’m pregnant. How can I protect myself against COVID-19?
Should pregnant women be tested for COVID-19?
Can COVID-19 be passed from a woman to her unborn or newborn ba...by?
What care should be available during pregnancy and childbirth?
Do pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 need to give birth by caesarean section?
Can women with COVID-19 breastfeed?
Can I touch and hold my newborn baby if I have COVID-19?
I have COVID-19 and am too unwell to breastfeed my baby directly. What can I do?
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Since the emergence of COVID 19 in December 2019, various public health responses measures have been implemented to control the pandemic. Among measures taken by the Africa CDC was the launch of PACT initiative to accelerate COVID 19 testing. Key to the initiative is the engagement of Community Heal...th Workers (CHWs) in risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), surveillance activities for early case identification, contacts tracing and in facilitating referrals for testing and continuum of care.
As of 31 May 2021, Through PACT support, over 17154 CHWs have been trained and locally deployed in 24 AU Member states. The PACT supported CHWs visited more than 2,568,654 households for community engagement activities, active case search and contact tracing, identified 1,618,601 Contacts, 710,167 COVID 19 suspect cases based on the standard case definition and facilitated referrals for 553053 (78%) suspect cases for testing. These efforts were crucial for early identification and isolation of cases in limiting further transmission.
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The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia has developed the guidelines to meet the urgent need for up -to-date information and evidence-based recommendations
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sub-Saharan Africa has only 3% of the world’s health workers to cater for 11% of the world population, bearing over 25% of the global disease burden (WHO, 2014). With a steady increase in reported cases on the African Continent, the current COVID-1...9 pandemic threatens to overwhelm our already taxed health infrastructure. It is, therefore, imperative to take serious and urgent measures towards disease management and monitoring especially as the need for self-quarantine and contact surveillance rises.
In view of the infrastructural and resource gaps, technology should be considered for remote management of healthcare deliver to patients during this period. As it is abundantly clear, even countries with more advanced healthcare infrastructure and resources have struggled to treat COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during this pandemic.
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Accessed June 2018 - Détection, la confirmation et de la gestion des épidémies de choléra
Detection, confirmation and management Salmonella Typhi outbreak
Compte tenu des lacunes en matière d'infrastructures et de ressources, il convient d'envisager de recourir à la technologie pour la gestion à distance des soins de santé dispensés aux patients pendant cette période. Comme on peut le constater, même les pays disposant d'infrastructures et de r...essources de soins de santé plus avancées ont eu du mal à traiter les patients atteints de COVID-19 ou non pendant cette pandémie.
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