WHO in emergencies
11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over
18 November 2020 Brazzaville/Kinshasa -- Today marks the end of the 11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, nearly six months after the first cases were reported in Equateur Province. The outbreak took place in communities scattered across dense rain forests as well as crowded urban areas, creating logistical challenges. These were surmounted due to the leadership of the government and local communities, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.
The health emergencies you didn’t hear about in 2020
WHO has had an extraordinary year leading the global battle against a once-in-a-century pandemic.
But the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is not the only pathogen we’ve dealt with in 2020; this outbreak was one of many health emergencies on our books.
This year WHO responded to more than 60 emergencies, including major outbreaks of chikungunya in Chad, yellow fever in Gabon and Togo, measles in Mexico, flooding in Sudan, storms in the Philippines and Viet Nam, and much more.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean hands-over medical supplies during his visit to Syria
24 October 2020, Damascus, Syria – A chartered aircraft has landed in Damascus International Airport from the WHO's logistics hub in Dubai, carrying WHO supplies to support the health response in Syria. The 8.8-ton shipment includes medical kits and medicines for almost 2000 beneficiaries and enough personal protective equipment to protect more than 4000 health care workers.
WHO appoints co-chairs of Independent Commission on sexual misconduct during the Ebola response in North Kivu and Ituri, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
15 October 2020 -- The World Health Organization has appointed two distinguished leaders to co-chair an Independent Commission on sexual abuse and exploitation during the response to the tenth Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Africa eradicates wild poliovirus
25 August 2020 Brazzaville – The independent Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) for Polio Eradication officially declared on Tuesday that the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region is free of wild poliovirus.
This marks the eradication of the second virus from the face of the continent since smallpox 40 years ago.
The ARCC’s decision comes after an exhaustive, decades-long process of documentation and analysis of polio surveillance, immunization and laboratory capacity of the region’s 47 member states, which included conducting field verification visits to each country.
Ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of the Congo reaches 100 cases
21 August 2020 Brazzaville - The number of cases in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 100, a near two-fold increase in a little over five weeks.
This latest outbreak, DRC’s 11th, was declared on 1 June 2020 in Equateur Province. A cluster of cases was initially detected in Mbandaka, the provincial capital. The outbreak has since spread to 11 of the province’s 17 health zones. Of the 100 cases reported so far, 96 are confirmed and four are probable. Forty-three people have lost their lives.
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Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
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SARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain – Denmark
3 December 2020 -
Acute hepatitis E – Burkina Faso
27 November 2020 -
Yellow fever – Nigeria
24 November 2020 -
Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
18 November 2020