Highlights
As of 15 February 2015, the cumulative number of laboratory confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases is 8,212. The number of confirmed deaths is 3,042. Total survived and discharged cases is 2,218.
Following the outbreak in the Aberdeen area (Western Area), a “Five Days Rapid Response” social mobilization action plan was set up by WHO, UNICEF, District Health Management Teams (DHMT) and implementing partners to reinforce activities such as community engagement meetings, to address social issues including: access to water, disinfecting toilets and quarantine.
About 85 Community Health Worker (CHW), social mobilizers, contact tracers and social workers will be divided into teams and will be given a section within Aberdeen to serve as their main area of operation for the 5 days.The following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and strategies have been approved: Home Decontamination;
Collection of Corpses or Transfer of Suspect/probable EVD Cases; Decontamination of EVD Facilities; Safe and Dignified Burials; and the endorsement of a strategy to integrate community engagement into enhanced contact tracing.The US-CDC/MoHS study has selected the “rVSV” vaccine, developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and manufactured by Merck/New Link for the study in Sierra Leone. The study, which aims to enroll around 6000 health care and front line workers, will start in early March. The installation of the -80C cold chain storage required for the vaccine is starting this week. The national vaccine store in Freetown will be the first site to be operational with the districts to follow.
Biometric re-verification of all Ebola Response Workers (ERWs) is in its 3rd week. Western Area, Northern Province and Eastern Province have been completed. The team is now moving to the Southern Province.
With a commitment of USD 353 million to help contain, control and treat Ebola in West Africa; the UK package focuses predominantly on Sierra Leone, and includes support for the construction of treatment facilities, improved labs to test for the virus quickly and effectively, the provision of over 800 treatment beds, support for improved surveillance and contact tracing, and the training and management of burial teams.
Amadu Kamara has completed his duty after establishing UNMEER’s presence in Sierra Leone. The UN Secretary-General has appointed Bintou Keita as the new Ebola Crisis Manager (head of UNMEER Sierra Leone.)
IOM’s Border Management Team will conduct an inter-agency border assessment across Sierra Leone’s 7 border districts by the end of February. The proposed assessment team will include US CDC, the Mano River Union, the MoHS, the National Ebola Response Center (NERC), UNMEER, UN Office of Drugs and Crime, UN WOMEN, Sierra Leone Office of National Security (ONS) and the Sierra Leone Border Police.