THE health authorities of the Ministry of Health were informed by the N’Zérékoré Prefectural Health Directorate of the detection of suspected cases of Ebola with symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding in people who attended the burial of a nurse at the Goueké health centre.

She died on January 28, 2021 and her funeral took place on February 1, in Goueké. The first investigation carried out counted 7 cases, all over 25 years of age (4 men and 3 women), including 3 cases of death (2 women and 1 man). All the cases took part in the nurse’s burial.

The first three samples sent to laboratories in Gueckedou and Conakry proved to be Positive in Ebola.

Faced with this situation and in application of the International Health Regulations, IHR, the Guinean government declared an epidemic of Ebola virus disease in the N’Zérékoré prefecture, sub-prefecture of Gouecké.

A crisis meeting held on February 14, 2021 under the chairmanship of the Minister of Health, in the presence of technical and financial partners, both international and national, at the ANSS recommended the following measures:

– Isolation of all suspect cases at the N’Zérékoré and Conakry CTEPI.

– Investigation of cases to clarify data, identify other suspected cases and identify all contacts to be isolated;

– Sending an emergency investigation mission from the central level to support the local teams in Gouecké;

– Activation of the coordination and technical commissions of the Ebola response;

– Activation of intersectoral coordination through the One Health platform;

– Supply of inputs for awareness raising, prevention, diagnosis and care;

– Opening of a care centre for cases detected in Gouecké;

– Acceleration of the acquisition of Ebola vaccines from the WHO;

– Implementation of IHR standard procedures.

The government would like to thank the technical and financial partners who have been quick to express their commitment to the response to this new Ebola outbreak.

The government reassures the population that all measures are being taken to contain this epidemic as soon as possible. It invites the populations in the affected areas to respect hygiene and prevention measures and to report to the health authorities if they see any signs of the disease (fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding).

-Feb, 14, 2021 @ 6:35pm