 |
|
|
|
Suspected Acute Haemorrhagic Fever
in the Republic of the Congo and Gabon
June 27, 2002
Health Canada is closely monitoring an outbreak of suspected acute haemorrhagic
fever syndrome in the Mbomo district in the northwest of the Republic of the
Congo and in the Zadie district of the Ogooué-Ivindo Province in northeast
Gabon.
As of 19 June, 2002, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of the Congo
reported six suspected cases of acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome, including
five deaths, in the Mbomo district, Cuvette Ouest region.
As of 19 June, 2002, the Ministry of Health of Gabon reported two deaths
of suspected acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome in the Zadie district in the
northeastern part of the country. Both cases became ill while in Oloba, in
the Mbomo district of the Republic of the Congo and both died in Ekata, Gabon.
It appears that at least one of these persons was infected while caring for
a similar case in Oloba.
These cases of acute haemorrhagic fever syndrome are occurring in the same
area where an outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic
fever began in late October 2001, continued through the spring of 2002
and was officially declared over in Gabon in May 2002.
Source: World Health Organization
Recommendation
Haemorrhagic fever infections are acquired by close personal contact with
blood or body fluids from individuals who are seriously ill or have died from
the disease.
With respect to the suspected current outbreak in the Republic of the Congo
and Gabon, unless travellers are in the Mbomo district, Republic of the Congo
or the Ogooué-Ivindo province in northeast Gabon and are caring for
an ill individual with haemorrhagic fever, Health Canada advises that the
risk of acquiring a haemorrhagic fever is extremely low.
As a reminder, Health Canada recommends that Canadians seek the advice of
their personal physician or a travel clinic prior to travel to Africa to determine
their individual health risks and their need for vaccination, preventative
medication and personal protective measures.
For more information about Ebola haemorrhagic fever, visit our disease
information page on Ebola haemorrhagic fever at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/info/ebola_e.html.
|
