Very Good News For The “Contacts Of Contacts”… In Bas Uele Province, D.R. Congo

The Merck/New Link experimental Ebola vaccine protocol has been cleared by all local authorities, as of this morning.

This is a relief, especially for people in Bas Uele, and the rest of the northern DRC who are now healthy, but may have been contacts of contacts — and thus have some small degree of risk, from the latest WHO situation report then:

. . . .. . . .The previously undertaken modelling to determine the risk of further cases was updated with newly available onset dates for the confirmed/probable cases. Results suggest the risk of further cases is low but not negligible, and decreases with each day without new confirmed/probable cases; as of the reporting date, 67% of simulated scenarios predict no further cases in the next 30 days. . . .

The protocol for a possible ring vaccination has been formally approved by the national regulatory authority and Ethics Review Board of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Vaccine.

International vaccine deployment and cold chain shipment to DRC is not advised at this point. Planning and arrangements should be in place for immediate deployment if necessary.

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MSF with support of WHO and other partners are working on detailed planning and readiness to offer access to the rVSV ZEBOV experimental/ investigational vaccine, within the Expanded Access framework, with informed consent and in compliance with good clinical practice. . . .

WHO does not currently recommend any restrictions of travel and trade in relation to this outbreak. . . .

As of 28 May 2017, nine countries have instituted entry screening at airports and ports of entry (Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe), and one country has issued travel advisories to avoid unnecessary travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Rwanda). Two countries (Kenya and Rwanda) implemented information checking on arrival for passengers with travel history from and through the Democratic Republic of Congo. These measures are within the prerogative of the States Parties and do not qualify as additional health measures that significantly interfere with international traffic under Article 43 of the IHR (2005). . . .

Now you know — and. . . the grill-master is in the house! Have a good one, one and all!!

नमस्ते