Africa Infectious Disease News this Week
Rabies in South Africa, Anthrax in Uganda, Yellow fever updates and more
Here some news about infectious diseases and outbreak on the African continent you may not have heard:
Rabies update in South Africa
In South Africa, The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported an additional human rabies case in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The case was confirmed on September 28.
The 17-year-old male from eNkulu, Umzumbe Municipality, died in his home after experiencing a brief period of nausea, vomiting, hypersalivation, dyspnea and agitated and aggressive behavior.
A few months prior, he reported being bitten by an unfamiliar dog while walking home after dark. He did not seek medical attention for the wound on his leg. The clinically suspected diagnosis of rabies was confirmed by a post mortem investigation, including a positive Direct Fluorescent Antibody test.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal has reported five human rabies cases for the year so far. Cumulatively, the country has reported nine cases for the same period, including three cases from Eastern Cape Province and one case from Limpopo Province.
Anthrax in Uganda
The Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) reported an outbreak of anthrax in Kween district, eastern Uganda on October 26.
The index case was a 42-year-old casual laborer who presented with eschars. Samples collected and submitted to the Uganda Virus Research Institute, Arua, tested positive for anthrax. Cumulatively, five cases (3 confirmed; 2 suspected) and no deaths have been reported.
In addition, the occurrence of 10 sudden animal deaths have been reported in Kween district.
The MoH did not specify any other details about the outbreak.
Yellow fever in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo
Twenty-four additional yellow fever cases and one death were reported in the countries of Cameroon and Congo, according to the Africa CDC.
Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 2,779 cases (137 confirmed; 2,642 suspected) and 36 deaths (CFR: 1.3%) of yellow fever have been reported in seven African Union countries: Cameroon (41 cases; 4 deaths), CAR (326; 5), Congo (324; 2), Gabon (79; 0), Guinea (178; 4), Nigeria (1,819; 21) and Uganda (12; 0).
DRC: Measles in Kasaï province
Doctor Célestin Mamba, interim head of the provincial health division of Kasai province, made the following announcement last Tuesday:
“From the first to the 41st week, the DPS Kasaï reported 36,326 suspected cases and 1,248 deaths from measles, representing a mortality rate of 3.4%. The health zones having reported more cases are; Kanzala, Kalonda-West, Luebo, Mweka, Mushenge and Bulape.
Dr. Mamba also noted the beginning of vaccination campaign against measles and yellow fever in Tshikapa saying, “At least 95% of people aged 9 months to 60 years will be vaccinated against yellow fever and from 6 to 59 months against measles”.
Nearly 300,000 measles cases have been reported in Africa this year to date, according to African health officials.
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Since the beginning of this year, 298,488 (28,951 confirmed; 269,537 suspected) and 3,742 deaths (CFR: 1.3 %) of measles were reported from 27 AU MS: Angola (6,203 cases; 53 deaths), Botswana (13; 0), Burkina Faso (1,701; 2), Burundi (1,150; 0), Cameroon (8,503; 64), Central African Republic (CAR) (2,873; 0), Chad (8,981; 7), Congo (674; 4), DRC (190,598; 3,187), Ethiopia (18,899;149), Gabon (3,060; 0), Gambia (208; 0), Ghana (212; 0), Guinea (1,011; 2), Kenya (1,317; 23), Libya (391; 2), Liberia (25,448; 95), Mali (1,580; 2), Mauritania (825; 5), Mozambique (1,342; 0), Niger (1,690; 0), Senegal (4,475; 0), Somalia (9,843; 0), South Africa (843; 0), South Sudan (6,030; 145), Uganda (290; 1) and Zambia (328;1).
Chikungunya in Burkina Faso
While Burkina Faso has been battling a large dengue fever outbreak this year, the related mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya is also present in parts of the country.
This week, 122 new cases and no new deaths of chikungunya were reported from Burkina Faso.
Cumulatively, 489 cases (254 confirmed; 235 suspected) and no deaths of chikungunya have been reported in three of 70 districts in Burkina Faso.