Houston-area public health officials created an Ebola dashboard to monitor travelers coming to the area for the FIFA World Cup. According to the dashboard, 17 travelers are being monitored, but health officials report the likelihood of Ebola cases in the U.S. is low.
“This joint dashboard is part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration and transparency in public health, much like the other public health dashboards that our health departments have created together,” Theresa Tran, MD, director of the Houston Health Department, said in a June 4 news release shared with Houston Public Media. “Its purpose is to provide timely, shared access to information and situational awareness for our community and partners, but it does not indicate that Ebola is a public health threat.”
Here are the latest updates regarding the Ebola outbreak.
1. As of June 4, there are 363 confirmed cases and 62 confirmed deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo — up by 42 cases and 14 deaths from June 1. The CDC reported zero probable or suspected cases or deaths. Cases in Uganda have remained fairly steady at 16 confirmed cases, one confirmed death, one probable case and one probable death.
2. Milwaukee’s Health Department is monitoring three “very low-risk individuals” for Ebola who are returning from Africa. Officials told ABC affiliate WISN there are no suspected cases and that the travelers have had no reported contact with Ebola, are at very low risk of transmission and have not reported any symptoms. During the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, the health department monitored 39 low-risk contacts, none of which turned into confirmed cases.
3. HHS said the U.S. network of 13 biocontainment units is ready, if needed, for outbreak response. Currently, the Trump administration plans to send any Americans with suspected or confirmed Ebola to a facility in Kenya.
4. The Infectious Diseases Society of America is urging Congress to reconsider the administration’s plan and distribute those resources toward “controlling the outbreak at its source.”
“The management of Ebola requires specialized expertise, infrastructure, and operational experience that may not be readily replicated in a newly established facility,” the letter said. “Americans who volunteer to serve on the frontlines of outbreaks should not have to wonder whether they will be able to return home if they become ill. The United States possesses the expertise, infrastructure and clinical capacity to safely care for these patients while protecting healthcare workers and the public. We should utilize and strengthen these systems — not bypass them.”
5. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya said that the “bio-isolation facility in Laikipia is part of a holistic response to prevent spread of the disease and lessen health risks for the region as a whole.” The embassy is working with locals to enhance border detection, accurate testing and the responses in high-risk countries, according to a June 2 news release.
“Expanding regional capacity to isolate and test asymptomatic individuals, including Americans working on the response effort, will enhance Kenya’s readiness and preserve Kenya’s existing clinical resources to assist Kenyan citizens.”
6. Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, defended the Trump administration’s response to the Ebola outbreak, claiming it is “scientifically justified, sensitive to the epidemiological facts and specifically tailored to contain the outbreak,” The Hill reported. Dr. Bhattacharya defended the Kenya treatment facility, saying it “provides a location to quarantine Americans who are at risk of developing Ebola, as well as the capacity to provide ICU-level care for those who get sick. Each patient will receive a customized care plan, and forward transport will be arranged as appropriate based on clinical needs.”
7. Peter Stafford, MD, who tested positive for Ebola in May and is the only confirmed American case, is still receiving treatment in Germany, the World Health Organization said.
8. On June 3, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, PhD, said Ebola outbreak response efforts were “catching up.” There are now three treatment centers in Bunia and treatment units in other cities with large outbreaks. So far, eight people have recovered from Ebola. Local authorities and WHO are focused on scaling up laboratory and diagnostics capacity by decentralizing labs in priority locations. They are also working to scale readiness, surveillance and access to health services in neighboring provinces and countries. WHO said that 45% of contacts have been followed up. However, to get ahead of an outbreak, that percentage needs to be above 90%.
9. The outbreak has reached Mambasa, a part of Congo run by Islamic State militants, The Wall Street Journal reported. Health workers do not travel to the area due to ongoing violence, which makes containment and contact tracing impossible.
10. Pan American Health Organization activated its Incident Management System to coordinate regional preparedness efforts, and is working with health organizations to enhance surveillance, lab diagnostics, infection prevention and control and operational coordination. It also held a technical session that hosted leaders from 30 countries.
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