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Health Information Update
Source: WHO, Event Information Site for IHR National Focal
Event Updates: 01 to 13 May 2017

Event Updated Country Hazard Disease Event Description IHR Assessment
13 May Democratic Republic of the Congo  Infectious EBOLA Virus Disease On 9 May, WHO was informed of a cluster of undiagnosed illness and deaths including haemorrhagic symptoms in Likati Health Zone, Bas Uele Province in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bordering Central African Republic. Since 22 April, nine cases including three deaths have been reported. Six cases are currently hospitalised.

 

WHO does not recommend any restriction of travel and trade

 Public Health Risk*
12 May China Zoonosis Influenza due to identified AVIAN or animal influenza virus On Friday 5 May 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) notified WHO of 24 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in mainland China. Onset dates ranged from 14-29 April 2017.

The cases were reported from Anhui (1), Beijing (1), Chongqing (2), Gansu (1), Guangxi (1), Hebei (7), Henan (1), Hubei (1), Hunan (1), Jiangsu (1), Sichuan (6) and Shaanxi (1).

 
At the time of notification, there were nine (9) deaths, thirteen (13) cases were diagnosed as having either pneumonia (2) or severe pneumonia (11), and two (2) cases were still being investigated. Nineteen (19) cases were reported to have had exposure to poultry or live poultry market, and two (2) had no known poultry exposure.  No clustering of cases was reported.
 
To date, a total of 1,463 laboratory-confirmed human infections with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus have been reported through IHR notification since early 2013.

 

WHO does not recommend any restriction of travel and trade

 Public Health Risk
12 May United State of America (the) Infectious Influenza due to identified Human influenza virus On 2 May 2017, the United States IHR National Focal Point (NFP) reported the first case of human infection of influenza A(H3N2)v (Swine influenza) in 2017. The patient is a <5 year old child with no underlying medical conditions who developed an upper respiratory illness in Texas on 23 February 2017. Public Health Risk
09 May Somalia Infectious Cholera Since the beginning of the El Niño induced drought in Somalia in November 2016, a progressive increase in cases of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) and cholera has been reported. A marked and rapid upsurge in case numbers has been observed since the beginning of 2017, with 31,764 AWD/cholera cases including 618 deaths (case fatality rate of 1.9%) reported from 53 districts in 13 regions of Somalia by 23 April 2017.

 

WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on Somalia based on the current information available on this event.

 Public Health Risk
04 May Liberia Infectious Unknown and Unspecified Causes of Morbidity or Mortality On 25 April 2017, the MoH of Liberia notified WHO and partners of a cluster of sudden deaths of unknown aetiology in Sinoe County. The event started on 23 April 2017 when an 11 year old child presented with diarrhoea, vomiting and mental confusion after attending the funeral of a religious leader on the 22 of April 2017. The child was taken immediately to the hospital and died within one hour of admission.

To date, a total of 18 specimens have tested negative for Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Lassa fever. Samples (e.g. blood, urine, rectal swab, and others) will be tested for chemistry, toxicology, cytopathology, microbiological and serology. 

WHO does not recommend any restriction on travel and/or trade to Liberia on the basis of the information available for the current event.

 Public Health Risk