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West Africa - Ebola Outbreak Fact Sheet #16, Fiscal Year (FY) 2015

Countries
Sierra Leone
+ 4 more
Sources
CDC
+ 1 more
Publication date

HIGHLIGHTS

  • New EVD cases continue to decrease in Liberia, and the number of confirmed cases has declined by 43 percent between December 22 and January 5 in Sierra Leone, according to WHO. Relief agencies continue to implement life-saving activities and underscore the importance of preventative measures.

  • Since early January, USAID/OFDA partners have opened one EVD treatment unit (ETU) and four community care centers (CCCs) in Sierra Leone.

  • To strengthen coordination, CDC and partner eHealth Africa are supporting the establishment of county-level emergency operation centers (EOCs) in Liberia

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

  • During the week of January 5, newly appointed U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed—the head of the U.N. Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER)—traveled to the acutely EVD-affected countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The SRSG met with government officials, relief agencies, and international donors—including representatives from the USG Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)—to discuss response efforts and gaps.

  • According to WHO, EVD transmission rates are stabilizing in Sierra Leone, which remains the country with the highest number of EVD cases. In response to persistent needs,
    USAID/OFDA partner Medair opened a 20-bed ETU in Western Rural District on January 8, while Partners in Health (PiH) recently finalized the construction of three USAID/OFDAsupported CCCs in the severely affected Kono District.

  • Guinea recorded 81 EVD cases countrywide—comprising 69 confirmed and 12 suspect cases—between December 29 and January 4, a 34 percent decrease from 123 cases reported during the week of December 22. Relief agencies note that EVD cases in many areas remain underreported and are expanding operations to augment contact tracing, improve referrals to treatment facilities, and support social mobilization efforts.