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UNICEF DR Congo Ebola Situation Report North Kivu and Ituri - 5 November 2018

Countries
DR Congo
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date

Highlights

• A new Ebola case has been confirmed in Vuhovi Health Zone, North Kivu Province

• UNICEF and WHO have developed a joint strategy for Infection Prevention and Control with a focus on increasing coverage of health facilities (public and private) with health workers training and WASH facility installation

• A radio communication survey conducted by UNICEF in Butembo town revealed that 87% of participants responded that listening to local radio stations has positively changed their behaviour towards Ebola

SITUATION IN NUMBER

  • 305 total reported cases (MoH, 5 November 2018)

  • 270 confirmed cases (MoH, 5 November 2018)

  • 189 deaths recorded (MoH, 5 November 2018)

  • 5,165 contacts under surveillance (MoH, 5 November 2018)

UNICEF Ebola Response Appeal US$ 21.8M

Humanitarian leadership and coordination

The Crisis Management Team continued to meet daily under the leadership of the Ministry of Health with all concerned partners and with the chairs of the different working groups providing thematic updates. UNICEF continues to participate actively in the coordination meetings at the national level and in Beni (operational headquarters) and co-leads the commissions on communication, WASH and psychosocial care; and active in the working groups on logistics and vaccination. A UNICEF security specialist is also deployed in the field to support security assessment and safety of the operations.

Beni and Butembo health zones are the most concerning areasfor the response due to the high number of reported confirmed and probable cases. At the moment, UNICEF activities in risk communication and prevention, WASH, and psychosocial care are focused around five coordination hubs based in Beni, Butembo, Tchomia, and Mabalako Health Zone. And one subcoordination hub is operational in Bunia city.

The coordination of UNICEF’s response is dynamic due to the identification of confirmed cases in Makeke, Mandima Health zone, Oicha Health Zone, Butembo, Masereka, and Tchomia Health Zone. UNICEF coordinates Makeke’s Ebola response from the coordination team based in Mangina Health Area and the coordination response for Oicha Health Zone. A coordination hub is put in place in Butembo Health Zone, which will also support the response in Masereka Health Zone. Due to the security access in Oicha and Masereka Health Zone, UNICEF works through local partners to implement its activities.