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Forum: Lookout Post for East Africa

26 October 2006

Dennis in Colorado – at 12:51

This thread for information related to East Africa:
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Will copy some info from AnnieB’s thread in a few minutes, specifically cottontop’s posted link.

Dennis in Colorado – at 12:59

Copied from the

cottontop – at 21:10
Is there anyone doing East africa?
Epidemic Hazard Africa-Kenya http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert.php

Dennis in Colorado – at 13:06

Tanzania: Zanzibar destroys Poultry Eggs to prevent bird flu
Wed. October 25, 2006 02:43 pm.
(SomaliNet) In a bid to keep the Island free from the deadly avian flu, Zanzibar officials have destroyed another consignment of chicken eggs smuggled from mainland Tanzania, -IRIN Reported Wednesday.
The task force was established to ensure that bird flu does not spread to Zanzibar, two semi-autonomous islands that form part of the Republic of Tanzania.
According to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), the H5N1 avian influenza virus can be found inside eggs, and on the surface of eggs laid by infected birds.
[snip]
The poultry industry in Asia and in a few European countries has been affected by the disease, which has claimed dozens of human lives, mostly in Asia.

Dennis in Colorado – at 13:15

Malawi Bird flu risk grows
23 October 2006 - 09:25:57
Chair of the National Technical Committee on Avian Flu Ben Chimera says Malawi is at high risk of bird flu because birds will be migrating into the country during the summer.
Chimera, who is also Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Director of Animal Health, said this over the weekend during a workshop in Salima on the pandemic. He said the expected movement would risk migration of infected birds into the country.
Chimera said two months ago the disease hit southern Sudan, which is not far from Malawi. He said the disease spread fast in Sudan because of communication problems which made it difficult to alert people.
[snip]

Dennis in Colorado – at 14:27

From the RSOE HAVARIA Emergency and Disaster Information Service:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=8068&lang=eng
Kenyan epidemiologists are now convinced that it is only a matter of time before the bird flu virus, H5N1, is reported in one of the three East African countries [Dennis’ note: probably referring to Kenya, Uganda, & Somalia] following the disease’s outbreak in Southern Sudan. Although less than 150 people have died of bird flu globally, mainly because the disease is hard to transmit from human to human, fears surrounding its outbreak have the potential to seriously undermine the region’s poultry industry, which is valued at over $1 billion. Sudan’s northern neighbour, Egypt, reported its latest human case of H5N1 on October 10, bringing total infections to 15. Six of the people affected have already died. Egypt first reported H5N1 in poultry in February, and has now reported the highest number of confirmed bird flu cases in both humans and animals in Africa. In recent weeks, the risk of bird flu’s spread into East Africa has been heightened by the annual southward flight of migratory birds from Europe, which occurs between September and December. Migratory birds were instrumental in transporting the H5N1 virus from China to the rest of Asia and Europe last year, and eventually southwards to several African countries, including Nigeria and Cameroon.
Following the outbreak of the disease in Southern Sudan, where four bird carcasses were in late September found to be infected with H5N1, authorities in both Kenya and Uganda slapped bans on poultry imports from the region two weeks ago. Uganda also announced that all vehicles and machinery entering the country from Southern Sudan would have to be sprayed with disinfectant.

30 October 2006

Dennis in Colorado – at 17:18

From a long article about “bird flu” here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25149-2425837,00.html

“The virus is creeping closer to Europe, with several countries — Azerbaijan, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq and Turkey — reporting human cases for the first time this year. And now winter lies around the corner. Cold weather brings a sharp rise in human influenza, heightening the possibility that bird flu could infect a person already infected with human flu.”

DennisCat 17:24

I posted a chart on Not Bird Flu but close thread showing the seasonal trend (CDC chart). Notice we are just getting out of the “valley” and the peak should be around Feb or Mar. I think it shows nicely the winter trend.

http://tinyurl.com/y2vxbj

01 November 2006

Dennis in Colorado – at 10:09

ITALY-ETHIOPIA COLLABORATING ON BIRD FLU,MALARIA,AIDS

(AGI) - Rome, Nov. 1 - A commitment for increased assistance and training for the local Ethiopian population. This is what comes through from the first international conference in Addis Abeba entitled “Dermatological Care for All: a Basic Human Right”, organized by Professor Aldo Morrone from the S. Gallicano Institute in Rome, and which was participated in by health undersecretary Antonio Gaglione, representing Health Minister Livia Turco.
[snip]
In particular, it was decided to strengthen the collaboration between the two countries, especially concerning avian influenza and fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS. In addition, the pledge was reiterated for the donation of healthcare equipment from Italy to developing countries, under Law 23 from 23 December 2005, n. 266. Minister Adhanom expressed the hope that some Ethiopian healthcare facilities will be able to make use of the web-based medical services offered by the Alliance of Italian Hospitals in the World.

05 November 2006

Nimbus – at 18:38

Bird flu test kits arrive (Uganda)

THE Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has acquired bird flu test kits, writes Gladys kalibbala.

The acquisition of the kits is part of the Government’s measures to prepare for a possible outbreak of Avian influenza.

Among the materials provided by Pan African Control of Epizootics are Anigen Rapid Ag. test kits, specimen tubes containing assay diluents buffer, sample collection swabs, disposable droppers and protective gear for surveillance teams in case of an outbreak.

The Acting Principal Veterinary Officer for Diagnostics and Epidemiology, Dr. Rose Ademun, recently headed the demonstration to district veterinary officers at Golf View Inn, Entebbe, on how tests should be carried out to ascertain the presence of bird flu in their districts.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/530525

AnnieBat 20:40

COMMENT: Tiger Lilly posted this on the Nepal discussion and I thought it should be copied here as well

Tiger Lily – at 19:18

ETHIOPIA: Acute watery diarrhoea claims 279 lives

NAIROBI, 25 Oct 2006 (IRIN) - Acute watery diarrhoea has continued to spread alarmingly in Ethiopia, with the death toll rising to 279 and 29,880 people infected, despite efforts by the government and humanitarian agencies to control the epidemic since April, the United Nations humanitarian agency said on Wednesday.

<snip>

Meanwhile, a meningitis outbreak in the Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region has claimed the lives of 10 people in the past 10 days, according to OCHA, which quoted the Federal Ministry of Health as saying 596 suspected cases of meningitis had been reported.

“Last week, three samples were sent to Addis Ababa and only one tested positive for meningococcal meningitis. The Federal Ministry of Health has sent meningitis rapid diagnostic kits to 11 regions,” according to OCHA.

Earlier this year, 621 cases of meningitis, among them 32 deaths, were reported in three regions in Ethiopia. In June the Health Ministry appealed for US$2.6 million for meningitis control.

Early symptoms of meningitis include fever, which is followed by a rash and vomiting. Patients suffer stiffness before unconsciousness and death. The meningitis bacteria are transmitted through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions

<snip> http://tinyurl.com/y2p5zt

13 November 2006

Nimbus – at 09:11

TANZANIA: Cholera outbreak reported in Dar es Salaam

DAR ES SALAAM, 13 Nov 2006 (IRIN) - A cholera outbreak in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, has killed five people and affected 820 others, mostly women and children, who have been hospitalised in the last few weeks, heath officials said on Monday.

<snip>

Health officials in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar have also recorded the hospitalisation of least 16 people following an outbreak of dysentery and diarrhoea in Stone Town, capital of the island.

<snip>

http://tinyurl.com/yy6hov

MaMaat 14:54

Kenya

- “At least 21 people have been killed and 60 000 displaced by massive flooding in northern and coastal Kenya, triggered by three weeks of unusually heavy seasonal rains, officials said on Monday. As downpours continue, officials warned of further devastation, while delegates meet at a United Nations conference in Nairobi on climate change that many blame for altering weather patterns and spawning deadly drought-flood cycles. “We have floods across the country and, since it is still raining, we fear the situation will deteriorate,” said Abdi Ahmed, the acting disaster response chief at the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS). In addition, the Kenyan health ministry on Sunday issued an alert for possible outbreaks of water-borne diseases, notably cholera, in the affected regions. At the weekend, at least six people, including a schoolgirl, were swept away and drowned by raging waters around the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa and the northeastern town of Garissa, officials said. Two others are missing. The fatalities brought Kenya’s flood death toll to 21 since October 25, when the first damaging effects of the unusually heavy October-to-December “short rains” season were reported by authorities. Since then, at least 60 000 Kenyans - 50 000 on the coast and 10 000 in the northeast - have been forced from their homes by flood waters that have washed away crop fields, bridges and roads and destroyed numerous buildings. “All these people are directly affected or completely cut off and we cannot access them,” Ahmed said.

On Saturday, the main road linking Mombasa, about 500km south-east of Nairobi, to Tanzania was cut off with four bridges washed away, a local official said. “Delivering food to the 50 000 people who are in need of urgent supplies is the main problem,” said Moffat Kangi, the commissioner of Kwale district just south of Mombasa. “We are looking for water, shelter and medicine for the affected people, but in the long run we will be required to assist up to 200 000 people here,” he said. “Any help we can get will be appreciated.” In the capital, municipal officials said flood waters had blocked the city’s drainage system, causing floods in some residential districts. But the recent floods are not limited to Kenya, which is being hit as it hosts 6 000 international delegates to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that ends this week. The onset of rains has compounded problems across the Horn of Africa region already brought by a recent killer drought with water unable to be absorbed by parched soil inundating the worst-affected areas, officials said.”

http://visz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=8372&cat=dis&lang=eng

MaMaat 14:59

Tanzania

- “About 500 families were left homeless after their houses were destroyed following several hours of heavy rains and strong winds in the early hours of 28 October 2006 in Kigoma Region, western Tanzania. Kigoma Region borders Lake Tanganyika. A total of 28 people were injured and admitted at the government?s regional hospital while several others suffered minor bruises. A school and a church were amongst the buildings that were damaged during the downpour. Household property and food stocks were also destroyed. The two worst affected suburbs in Kigoma Urban District were Kibirizi and Burarangabo, situated some five kilometres from Kigoma town centre, with a total population of about 15,000 people (approximately 2,000 households). Kigoma is the main entry point for the Congolese refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time of this bulletin, it was not clear whether any Congolese refugees had been affected by the heavy rains.”

http://visz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=8374&cat=dis&lang=eng

16 November 2006

Nimbus – at 11:43

Ethiopia - update on AWD

Ethiopia: UN Says Diarrhoea Kills 416

The recent outbreak of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) has killed around 416 people in Ethiopian towns, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affaires (OCHA) said on Tuesday.

According to OCHA- Ethiopia office, the total case number has now reached 36,342 with 416 deaths in 99 districts across the country.

<snip>

http://allafrica.com/stories/200611150698.html

17 November 2006

Nimbus – at 18:42

Cholera outbreak hits western, northern Uganda

KAMPALA, Nov 17, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) — Nine districts in western, northwestern and central Uganda have been hit by an outbreak of cholera, which has killed seven in a northern district.

The affected districts are Nebbi, Arua, Yumbe, Koboko, Moyo and Adjumani in northwestern region, Kasese, and Bundibugyo in western and the capital Kampala in the central.

In Kampala, the outbreak has spread to the city suburbs of Katwe, Mengo-Kisenyi, Namuwongo, Luzira, Katanga, Kalerwe and Kawempe. Local media reported earlier this week that the epidemic had killed seven residents and left over 176 others hospitalized in Arua district, north of Uganda, since July 12.

More here: http://tinyurl.com/sqefl

21 November 2006

Nimbus – at 16:37

Meningococcal disease in Sudan

21 November 2006

From 1 September to 8 November 2006, 231 suspected cases and 16 deaths of meningococcal disease have been reported in Greater Yei County, Central Equatorial State of South Sudan.

The epidemic threshold was crossed in this county during the last week of October. Five cerebral spinal fluid specimens have tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A by latex test.

An outbreak investigation was conducted by the Ministry of the Central Equatorial State with the support of WHO’s Early Warning and Response Network (EWARN) team and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A national multisectoral task force established earlier this year which includes county health authorities, UNICEF, WHO and nongovernmental organizations is coordinating the outbreak response.

More here: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_11_21/en/index.html

23 November 2006

Closed and Continued – at 23:23

closed and continued here

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