Media release from WHO :
" In December 2011, the Ministry of Health of Cameroon notified WHO of a yellow fever outbreak in the North Region of the country.
A total of 23 cases, including 7 deaths, have been reported to have occurred since October 2011 in Guider, Bibemi, Gaschiga, Lagdo, Mayo Oulo and Golombe districts. These cases were identified as part of the surveillance system, with fever and jaundice within the 14 days of onset.
At least 13 cases from six health districts were laboratory confirmed at the Institute Pasteur of Cameroon by IgM ELISA test, which was followed by the seroneutralizing test (PRNT), the most specific test for yellow fever, and by differential diagnostic for dengue and West Nile Virus conducted in the WHO regional reference laboratory for yellow fever, the Institute Pasteur of Dakar, Senegal."
Showing posts with label Cameroon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cameroon. Show all posts
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Cameroon: Cholera epidemic - MSF supports overwhelmed local health authorities
Article via Medecins Sans Frontieres :
" A cholera epidemic has spread across all districts of Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, home to 2.1 million people. The epidemic, which was officially declared 14 months ago, in September 2010, has peaked and troughed a number of times. In March and April, during the short rainy season, cholera peaked with an average of 120 cases per week. But since September the number of cases has been increasing further, with more than 400 cases per week reported in mid-October.
“The existing health structures were no longer able to care for patients adequately. We found two to three patients per bed, some lying on the ground or on benches, in an appalling condition,” says Dr Narcisse Wega, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Cameroon. “Health facilities had reached their limit and were no longer able to cope with the influx of patients.”
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams carried out an assessment and within days opened a cholera treatment centre in the hospital of Laquintinie. Staff treated more than 350 patients in the first two weeks. “We transferred the overflow of patients from existing health facilities to the cholera treatment centre, and established a referral system with an ambulance service,” says Dr Wega.
In early November, national stocks of oral rehydration solution (ORS) ran out and patients had to be treated with a home-made solution. MSF has since provided the Ministry of Health with more than 120,000 sachets of ORS. “This is enough to treat around 12,000 patients – a figure beyond the number of expected cases,” says Dr Wega. Each of the city’s 11 existing cholera treatment units now incorporates an oral rehydration point."
" A cholera epidemic has spread across all districts of Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, home to 2.1 million people. The epidemic, which was officially declared 14 months ago, in September 2010, has peaked and troughed a number of times. In March and April, during the short rainy season, cholera peaked with an average of 120 cases per week. But since September the number of cases has been increasing further, with more than 400 cases per week reported in mid-October.
“The existing health structures were no longer able to care for patients adequately. We found two to three patients per bed, some lying on the ground or on benches, in an appalling condition,” says Dr Narcisse Wega, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Cameroon. “Health facilities had reached their limit and were no longer able to cope with the influx of patients.”
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams carried out an assessment and within days opened a cholera treatment centre in the hospital of Laquintinie. Staff treated more than 350 patients in the first two weeks. “We transferred the overflow of patients from existing health facilities to the cholera treatment centre, and established a referral system with an ambulance service,” says Dr Wega.
In early November, national stocks of oral rehydration solution (ORS) ran out and patients had to be treated with a home-made solution. MSF has since provided the Ministry of Health with more than 120,000 sachets of ORS. “This is enough to treat around 12,000 patients – a figure beyond the number of expected cases,” says Dr Wega. Each of the city’s 11 existing cholera treatment units now incorporates an oral rehydration point."
Monday, September 26, 2011
US : H1N1 flu virus prevalent in animals
Via UPI :
" Almost 90 percent of the pigs studied in a village in northern Cameroon were exposed to the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, U.S. researchers said.
Senior author Thomas B. Smith, director of UCLA's Center for Tropical Research, said H1N1 triggered a human pandemic in the spring of 2009, infecting people in more than 200 countries and in the United States, it led to an estimated 60 million illnesses, 270,000 hospitalizations and 12,500 deaths.
The virus, known scientifically as Influenza A (H1N1), is made up of genetic elements of swine, avian and human influenza viruses. The pigs in Cameroon were infected by humans, Smith said."
" Almost 90 percent of the pigs studied in a village in northern Cameroon were exposed to the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, U.S. researchers said.
Senior author Thomas B. Smith, director of UCLA's Center for Tropical Research, said H1N1 triggered a human pandemic in the spring of 2009, infecting people in more than 200 countries and in the United States, it led to an estimated 60 million illnesses, 270,000 hospitalizations and 12,500 deaths.
The virus, known scientifically as Influenza A (H1N1), is made up of genetic elements of swine, avian and human influenza viruses. The pigs in Cameroon were infected by humans, Smith said."
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Cameroon cholera epidemic kills nearly 500
Via Channel 6 News :
" A major cholera epidemic in parts of Cameroon has already claimed nearly 500 lives so far this month while more than 13,000 others have been sickened this year, CNN reported on Wednesday.
Public health officials said more than 50 people have died so far in August in the Far North region alone, the hardest-hit area. Residents in the Logone and Chari divisions of the region told CNN that the majority of people infected with the disease are children under the age of five and women.
Prof. Gervais Ondobo Andze, the director of disease control at the Ministry of Public Health, told journalists on Monday that nine of the country's 10 regions are affected by cholera, an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of bacteria-contaminated food or water. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80 percent of cases can be cured by rehydrating the patient.
In Maroua, the capital of the Far North region, 1,380 cases of cholera have been reported so far this year, according to officials. Dr. Valentine Ndikum, a senior public health official, said the number could double in the coming days due to poor sanitary and hygienic conditions because of what he said was a slow government response."
" A major cholera epidemic in parts of Cameroon has already claimed nearly 500 lives so far this month while more than 13,000 others have been sickened this year, CNN reported on Wednesday.
Public health officials said more than 50 people have died so far in August in the Far North region alone, the hardest-hit area. Residents in the Logone and Chari divisions of the region told CNN that the majority of people infected with the disease are children under the age of five and women.
Prof. Gervais Ondobo Andze, the director of disease control at the Ministry of Public Health, told journalists on Monday that nine of the country's 10 regions are affected by cholera, an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of bacteria-contaminated food or water. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80 percent of cases can be cured by rehydrating the patient.
In Maroua, the capital of the Far North region, 1,380 cases of cholera have been reported so far this year, according to officials. Dr. Valentine Ndikum, a senior public health official, said the number could double in the coming days due to poor sanitary and hygienic conditions because of what he said was a slow government response."
Friday, June 10, 2011
Death toll rises in Cameroon cholera epidemic
Via Alert Net :
" Yaoundé, CAMEROON: The death toll and the number of reported cases of cholera continue to rise across Cameroon: nearly 7,718 cases reported in 9 out of 10 regions and 256 deaths attributed to the epidemic. Cameroonians continue to struggle in containing this killer disease.
Plan in Cameroon has been deploying teams of community volunteers “cholera soldiers” in its seven operational regions: Centre, South West, North West, West, Littoral, North and Far North. The Centre region with more than 2,558 cases reported is hardest hit, although in part through the efforts of Plan, the number of new cases being reported there has slowed to almost none."
" Yaoundé, CAMEROON: The death toll and the number of reported cases of cholera continue to rise across Cameroon: nearly 7,718 cases reported in 9 out of 10 regions and 256 deaths attributed to the epidemic. Cameroonians continue to struggle in containing this killer disease.
Plan in Cameroon has been deploying teams of community volunteers “cholera soldiers” in its seven operational regions: Centre, South West, North West, West, Littoral, North and Far North. The Centre region with more than 2,558 cases reported is hardest hit, although in part through the efforts of Plan, the number of new cases being reported there has slowed to almost none."
Monday, September 6, 2010
Cholera outbreak in Cameroon 'worst in 20 years'
A report from Associated Press, excerpt but please go directly to the site for the full article view :
" YAOUNDE, Cameroon : UNICEF says more than 300 people have died in the West African nation of Cameroon from the country's worst cholera outbreak in 20 years.
UNICEF said Monday that more than 4,500 people have been sickened by the highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea in victims, leading to severe dehydration.
At least 331 people have died since the outbreak began in May, and officials fear it will spread further when children return to school this week after summer break."
" YAOUNDE, Cameroon : UNICEF says more than 300 people have died in the West African nation of Cameroon from the country's worst cholera outbreak in 20 years.
UNICEF said Monday that more than 4,500 people have been sickened by the highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea in victims, leading to severe dehydration.
At least 331 people have died since the outbreak began in May, and officials fear it will spread further when children return to school this week after summer break."
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Cameroon : Cholera epidemic intensifies
Via Africa News :
" A cholera epidemic that broke out at the beginning of June 2010 in the northern parts of Cameroon has intensified with 11 people reportedly dead out of 73 diagnosed cases.
The 73 cases and 11 deaths are reported to have occurred in Gobo in the Mayo Danay Division in the Far North region of Cameroon. Among the death is said to be a soldier of the Rapid Intervention Battalion with French acronym, BIR.
The Mayor of the locality, Elias Voumsoumna, is quoted as saying measures have been taken to treat all water points while sensitisation messages on the observance of hygiene and sanitation have been going on over the media and in Churches, mosques and other meeting points."
" A cholera epidemic that broke out at the beginning of June 2010 in the northern parts of Cameroon has intensified with 11 people reportedly dead out of 73 diagnosed cases.
The 73 cases and 11 deaths are reported to have occurred in Gobo in the Mayo Danay Division in the Far North region of Cameroon. Among the death is said to be a soldier of the Rapid Intervention Battalion with French acronym, BIR.
The Mayor of the locality, Elias Voumsoumna, is quoted as saying measures have been taken to treat all water points while sensitisation messages on the observance of hygiene and sanitation have been going on over the media and in Churches, mosques and other meeting points."
Friday, May 28, 2010
WHO : Yellow fever in Cameroon
Official report from WHO, excerpt:
" 27 May 2010 : On 25 January 2010, the Ministry of Health (MoH), Cameroon reported one case of yellow fever in Kumba district in the country's south-western region, close to the border with Nigeria's Cross River State.
The index case was identified as a 16 year-old female student in Kake high school. She presented with a clinical picture of fever and jaundice. Onset of symptoms started on 11 January with fever. She had no history of yellow fever vaccination and survived. The index case was identified through routine yellow fever surveillance system.
Laboratory specimens from this case were found to be IgM positive by ELISA method at the National Laboratory in the Institut Pasteur, Yaoundé, Cameroon and confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT)- a more specific test for yellow fever- at the regional reference laboratory for yellow fever at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal. "
" 27 May 2010 : On 25 January 2010, the Ministry of Health (MoH), Cameroon reported one case of yellow fever in Kumba district in the country's south-western region, close to the border with Nigeria's Cross River State.
The index case was identified as a 16 year-old female student in Kake high school. She presented with a clinical picture of fever and jaundice. Onset of symptoms started on 11 January with fever. She had no history of yellow fever vaccination and survived. The index case was identified through routine yellow fever surveillance system.
Laboratory specimens from this case were found to be IgM positive by ELISA method at the National Laboratory in the Institut Pasteur, Yaoundé, Cameroon and confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT)- a more specific test for yellow fever- at the regional reference laboratory for yellow fever at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal. "
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