Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Statement from CDC Regarding Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Declaration on Official End of Ninth Ebola Outbreak
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
The U.S. Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) commends the dedicated efforts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Public Health and partners to end the ninth reported outbreak of Ebola in that country since 1976. This good news reinforces the importance of having efficient surveillance systems in place and strong leadership to stop outbreaks at their source and save lives.
The DRC announcement, which was echoed by the World Health Organization, officially declares an end to the outbreak that began on May 8 in Bikoro Health Zone, Equateur Province, in Northwest DRC and resulted in 54 cases (38 cases laboratory confirmed and 16 deemed probable) and 33 deaths.
Working with international partners, CDC experts provided technical guidance on a range of crucial activities, including epidemiologic investigation, surveillance, infection prevention and control, border health screening, logistics and supplies, risk communication, and community engagement. CDC also assisted with vaccine implementation through a control effort that demonstrated the potential of an investigational vaccine, rVSV-ZEBOV, to prevent outbreak spread.
CDC has had a presence in DRC since 2002 and that long-term relationship, forged in science and nurtured in trust, has been instrumental in the fight against Ebola and other disease threats to people’s health and well-being. By working collaboratively, DRC’s Ministry of Public Health has made significant progress in building capacity in disease detection and response. We must remain vigilant and continue efforts to tackle other outbreaks the country is facing, such as cholera and polio, and to strengthen health services across the country.
MMWR News Synopsis for July 26, 2018
Mumps Outbreaks at Four Universities — Indiana, 2016
Laboratory testing, implementation of control measures, and availability of vaccination records are essential elements of plans to manage and contain mumps outbreaks. This report highlights strategies used in multiple, nearly simultaneous university outbreaks of mumps in Indiana in 2016 that public health departments and partners could use to help prevent or manage similar outbreaks.
In 2016, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) confirmed mumps outbreaks nearly simultaneously at four universities around the state that also spread into the community. The ISDH and local health departments began investigations and took steps to control the outbreaks. Among the 281 confirmed and probable cases of mumps identified, 205 (73.0%) people had received two verifiable doses of mumps vaccine and an additional 11 (3.9%) were immune to mumps by laboratory testing. Complications were infrequent among cases and only one person required hospitalization. No deaths were reported. These outbreaks highlighted discrepancies in immunization documentation at universities and challenges in controlling outbreaks in highly vaccinated populations.