Health Alerts

A second vaccine (Janssen Pharmaceuticals) will be used to tackle the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the NE provinces: two doses are to be administered in pre-exposure settings, as opposed to the Merck investigational vaccine which has been in use since last year and is given as pre- and post-exposure. The Merck vaccine has proved to be over 95% effective in the DRC outbreak so far. The total number of cases since the outbreak began in August 2018 has risen to 3,194 cases and 2,133 deaths. More on the post last week regarding the unofficial report of an EVD death in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania early last month: the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) yesterday stated that the death was due to Ebola virus is now ‘probable’ and the office will issue updates as new information arrives. The US CDC amended its advice for travellers to Tanzania on Sept 27 and will also provide updates. The Oct 1 WHO External Situation Report notes that the ‘current situation in Tanzania requires further investigation’.  Read more.