Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa (Update)

06 Mar 2015

A total of 132 new confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) were reported during the last week of February 2015. This denotes an increase of 99 new cases, compared with the previous week.

No new cases were reperted in Liberia this week, however, the weekly number of confirmed cases has increased in Sierra Leone and Guinea. Transmission remains widespread in Sierra Leone, with new confirmed cases in 8 districts. Forecariah and Conakry in Guinea reported a marked increase in cases compared with the previous week.

As of 05 March 2015, more than 23 900 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of EVD and more than 9800 deaths have been reported to WHO by the Ministries of Health for Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The distribution of the cases in West Africa is listed below, case numbers include confirmed, probable and suspected:

• Guinea - 3219 cases and 2129 deaths, cases in last 21 days 138.
• Liberia - 9249 cases and 4117 deaths, cases in last 21 days 6.
• Sierra Leone - 11 466 cases and 3546 deaths, cases in last 21 days 240.

Advice for Travellers

The risk of travellers becoming infected or developing Ebola haemorrhagic fever is extremely low, unless there has been direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of dead or living infected persons or animals. Healthcare workers are at particular risk, although practising appropriate infection control should effectively prevent transmission of disease in this setting.

Travellers returning from tropical countries should always seek rapid medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms (such as fever, headache, diarrhoea or general malaise) within three weeks after return, and be reminded to mention to their health care provider that they have recently travelled.