Addis Ababa, 14 August 2021- the Government of Republic of Côte d’Ivoire has declared the presence of a case of an Ebola virus disease (EVD) infection in the capital city of Abidjan. The case is 18-year-old Guinean girl who travelled from Labe in Guinea to Abidjan by road on 11August 2021 and hospitalized on the night of 12 August 2021 following a high-grade fever. On the 14th of August 2021, the Institute Pasteur in Cote d’Ivoire confirmed the infection to be EVD. The patient is currently in isolation and under the care of a Treatment Center for Highly Epidemic Diseases at the Treichville University Hospital.
More recently, on 19 June 2021, the Republic of Guinea declared over the EVD outbreak after four months of concerted effort. However, further investigation will be conducted to trace back the relation between this case and the concluded outbreak.
“In this recent past outbreak in Guinea, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) assessed and supported neighbouring countries including Cote d’Ivoire in preparation for and response to potential spill over of cases. We witnessed the experience, expertise and resources in place in these countries to handle such incidents. However, as this case is reported in a busy capital city of Abidjan, Africa CDC is already in contact with senior health officials of the country to assess the situation and offer its expertise” said Dr John Nkengasong, the Africa CDC Director.
Following this confirmed case, the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene and the Office of the Prime Minister called for an emergency meeting and put in place a swift multi-sectoral emergency response measures. These public health measures include: activation of different inter-sectoral coordination and emergency response units; reactivation of the community surveillance of the Ebola response; further investigation of the case, contact tracing; risk communication and community mobilization, immediate vaccination of target groups, strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures; and enhanced cross-border surveillance and collaboration with neighbouring countries.
In response to this new EVD case, the African Union Commission has been informed of the outbreak and is ready to offer a comprehensive support of all AU organs. The Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation; and will continue working with the Government of Republic of Côte d’Ivoire to deploy emergency response support team of experts, supplies and equipment as needed. It will also continue to work closely with the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to coordinate emergency preparedness in neighbouring countries across the region.
About the Africa CDC
The Africa CDC mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institution’s capacities, capabilities and partnerships to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats and outbreaks based on science, policy, and data-driven interventions and programmes. Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org
About the African Union
The African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens. AU Vision: to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission. Learn more at: http://www.au.int/en/
