Research and analysis

HPR volume 15 issue 4: news (1 March 2021)

Updated 19 January 2022

Ebola virus disease: new outbreaks in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Guinea

There are currently 2 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks ongoing in Africa; both were announced at the beginning of February 2021. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that these outbreaks are related.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

On 7 February 2021, the Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of EVD in North Kivu Province. The source of infection for the index case is still under investigation.

As of 23 February 2021, 8 confirmed cases have been reported, including 4 deaths. More than 790 contacts of these cases have been identified for follow up. Further cases are expected as this outbreak evolves.

The DRC Ministry of Health is leading a response with support from WHO and UNICEF. Efforts are ongoing to scale up surveillance, contact tracing, testing and treatment of cases as well as to strengthen community engagement. The vaccination of contacts of confirmed cases and healthcare workers was officially launched on 15 February: as of 23 February, approximately 658 people had been vaccinated.

EVD outbreaks are a known risk for the DRC. Between 1 August 2018 and 25 June 2020 3,470 deaths and 1,171 survivors of EVD were reported across 3 provinces in DRC: Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. That outbreak, DRC’s 10th, was the longest-lasting EVD incident in the country’s history, and the second largest in the world after the 2014 to 2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa. The response to the 2018 to 2020 outbreak was particularly challenging as it took place in an active conflict zone.

The new outbreak currently presents a negligible to very low risk to the UK public.

Republic of Guinea

On 14 February 2021 an outbreak of EVD was declared in the prefecture of Nzérékoré, South East Guinea.

As of 25 February 2021 5 confirmed and 4 probable cases had been reported, including 5 deaths. Nearly 400 contacts of these cases have been identified for follow up to date. Further cases are likely to be identified as this outbreak evolves.

The Guinea Ministry of Health, WHO and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) partners have initiated measures to control the outbreak and prevent further spread.

On 22 February 2021, 11,000 vaccines procured by WHO arrived in Guinea’s capital. A vaccination campaign, initiating a ring vaccination strategy and vaccination of frontline workers, began in Nzérékoré prefecture on 23 February 2021. As of 25 February, 225 people had been vaccinated.

This is Guinea’s second EVD outbreak, the first being the West African EVD outbreak which occurred between 2014 and 2015 and was declared over on 29 December 2015. Additional cases were identified in Guinea during March and April of 2016, before the country was declared free of Ebola in June 2016.

The new outbreak currently presents a negligible to very low risk to the UK public.

Guidance, resources and information for professionals relating to EVD is available in the gov.uk collection, Guidance, resources and information for professionals.

Infection reports in this issue

Laboratory confirmed cases of measles, rubella and mumps in England: October to December 2020.

Laboratory confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal infection in England: October to December 2020.

Vaccine coverage reports

Pertussis vaccination programme for pregnant women update: vaccine coverage in England, October to December 2020.

Impact of COVID-19 on childhood vaccination counts up to week 6, 2021.