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Ebola virus outbreak resurfaces in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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On 9 May 2017, WHO was informed of a cluster of undiagnosed illness and deaths including haemorrhagic symptoms in Likati Health Zone, Bas Uele Province in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bordering Central African Republic. Since 22 April, nine cases including three deaths have been reported. Six cases are currently hospitalized.

On 11 May 2017, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of DRC informed WHO that of the five samples collected from suspected cases, one tested positive by RT-PCR for Ebola virus subtype Zaire at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa. Additional specimens are currently being tested and results, including sequencing, are awaited to describe the outbreak.

On 10 May 2017, a multidisciplinary team led by the MoH and supported by WHO and partners was deployed to the field and are expected to reach the affected area on 12 or 13 May 2017 to conduct an in depth field investigation.

The investigation is currently ongoing and information is available for only three of the suspected cases: The first case (and possibly the index case), a 39-year-old male presented onset of symptoms on 22 April 2017 and deceased on arrival at the health facility. He presented with haematuria, epistaxis, bloody diarrhoea, and haematemesis. Two contacts of this case are being investigated: a person who took care of him during transport to the health care facility (he has since developed similar symptoms) and a moto-taxi driver (deceased) who transported the patient to the health care facility.

“WHO does not recommend any restriction of travel and trade to DRC based on the currently available information”.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health care workers has been shipped on 12 May 2017 to Kisangani. Additional kits are currently being prepared and will be shipped as soon as available.

Background and epidemiological situation

On 20 November 2014, as per WHO recommendations, the MoH of DRC and WHO declared the end of the EVD outbreak that started on 24 August 2014 and resulted in a total of 38 laboratory confirmed cases and 28 probable case including 49 deaths in Boende, Equateur province. This was the seventh outbreak of EVD since its discovery in 1976 in DRC.

  • 2014: 66 cases of EVD including 49 deaths diagnosed initially in Equateur province (Watsi Kengo, Lokolia, Boende, and Boende Muke).
  • 2012: 36 cases including 13 deaths Orientale province – Isiro (Bundibugyo virus).
  • 2008–2009: 32 cases including 15 deaths in Kasaï-Occidental (Zaire virus).
  • 2007: 264 cases including 187 deaths in Kasaï-Occidental (Zaire virus).
  • 1995: 315 cases and 250 deaths occurred in Kikwit and surrounding area.
  • 1977: 1 case (Zaire virus).
  • 1976: 318 cases including 280 deaths in Yambuku (Zaire virus).

There are five identified subtypes of Ebola virus. The subtypes have been named after the location where they have been first detected. Three of the five subtypes have been associated with large Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) outbreaks in Africa. Ebola–Zaire, Ebola–Sudan and Ebola–Bundibugyo. EHF is a febrile haemorrhagic illness which causes death in 25–90% of all cases.

Public health response

The following public health response measures have been implemented:

  • The national committee against viral haemorrhagic fever has been reactivated and will continue meeting every day to coordinate the response.
  • Strengthening of surveillance and investigation including contact tracing are ongoing.
  • WHO will provide assistance and technical support. The deployment to DRC of an additional WHO multidisciplinary team is currently considered to support the response of national authorities.
  • The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) has been activated to provide additional support if required.
  • The need and feasibility of potential Ebola ring vaccination is being discussed.

WHO risk assessment

To date, the outbreak is reported in a remote and hard to reach area and appears to be geographically relatively limited. However, Investigations are ongoing to assess the full extent of the outbreak and therefore high vigilance still needs to be maintained.

WHO does not recommend any restriction of travel and trade to DRC based on the currently available information.

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Alli Campaign Warns Against Fraudsters Collecting NIN, Bank Details

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The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has warned members of the public against fraudsters allegedly impersonating the senator and members of his campaign team to obtain sensitive personal information.

The organisation said the suspected fraudsters had been contacting unsuspecting members of the public by telephone and requesting their National Identification Numbers, bank account details and other confidential information.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Bisi Oladele.

Oladele described the development as an attempt to deceive members of the public and expose their personal and financial information to possible abuse.

He said, “Neither Senator Sharafadeen Alli nor his campaign organisation has authorised anyone to solicit NINs, bank details, passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords or any other confidential information from members of the public.”

The campaign organisation urged anyone who receives such calls or messages to disregard them and avoid disclosing personal, banking or identification details until the identity of the caller has been properly verified.

It also cautioned members of the public against transferring money or responding to requests for financial assistance made through unverified telephone numbers, social media accounts or other unofficial communication channels purportedly linked to the campaign.

The organisation warned that sensitive information could be exploited for identity theft, financial fraud and other criminal activities.

It urged victims or members of the public who encounter suspicious calls or messages to report them promptly to the appropriate security agencies.

The campaign organisation said it was taking the allegations seriously and would cooperate with relevant authorities to identify and prosecute anyone found to be involved in impersonation, fraud or other criminal activities using Alli’s name.

It further advised the public to remain vigilant and verify unsolicited requests before responding to them, stressing that information about Alli and his campaign should be obtained only through officially verified communication channels.

The organisation reaffirmed Alli’s commitment to lawful and transparent engagement with the people of Oyo State, maintaining that legitimate political engagement does not require anyone to surrender confidential banking or identity information to unidentified callers.

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LAUTECH Strike: Alli Campaign Organisation Knocks Makinde Over Doctors’ Plight

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The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has criticised the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the prolonged strike by resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The organisation said the strike, which has lasted for more than 30 days, was taking a toll on healthcare delivery and exposing what it described as the government’s failure to adequately address the welfare concerns of medical personnel in the state.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Bisi Oladele, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The organisation also expressed concern over the 21-day warning strike issued by the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State over unresolved issues bordering on welfare, remuneration and conditions of service.

According to the group, the situation was worrisome because medical workers were being forced to embark on industrial action over issues relating to allowances, residency training funds and salary arrears.

It said the resident doctors were demanding the payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and six months’ Minimum Wage arrears, among other welfare-related issues.

The organisation said the prolonged strike had negatively affected medical services at the teaching hospital, with patients who could not afford private healthcare allegedly left with the option of waiting for services to resume or seeking alternative treatment.

“The SSACO is concerned about Governor Seyi Makinde’s failure to sit with the striking resident doctors and find a lasting solution to their demands.

“As the strike prolongs, the resident doctors feel maltreated, while the masses bear the brunt of government’s insensitivity.

“Healthcare delivery is a critical service which serious administrations treat with urgency and with the importance it deserves. With this prolonged strike, our resident doctors are feeling maltreated while the masses suffer.

“The medical and dental officers across state hospitals have also served notice of a warning strike. This combination is a signal of government failure in the health sector. It is unacceptable in our dear state,” the statement read.

The group maintained that the situation could worsen if the grievances of health workers were not urgently addressed, warning that further disruption of services could have serious consequences for patients dependent on public hospitals for affordable and specialised treatment.

It challenged the state government to engage the striking doctors and resolve the outstanding issues, accusing the administration of treating their complaints with insufficient urgency.

The organisation further said healthcare would occupy a priority position in Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda, promising improved welfare and working conditions for health workers.

“Health workers and other civil servants will not be denied their entitlements. They will enjoy training and retraining, and they will have facilities to work with,” it said.

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Independence: Alli celebrates Nigeria at 66, seeks support for Tinubu, APC candidates

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The Oyo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, has urged Nigerians to renew their faith in the country and support President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Alli made the call in his Independence Day message issued in Ibadan on Thursday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The APC candidate said the anniversary was not only a moment to celebrate the country’s freedom but also an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers and the responsibility of the present generation to build a better Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to remain united and patriotic, saying the country’s challenges could be overcome through responsible leadership, collective action and commitment to national development.

Alli also appealed to Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, saying the government needed the cooperation of citizens to move the country from economic stabilisation to increased production, investment and shared prosperity.

He said, “We must never lose faith in Nigeria. Despite the challenges confronting the nation, our country remains endowed with enormous human and natural resources capable of making it one of the most prosperous nations in the world.”

The former senator particularly urged the people of Oyo State to support Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

According to him, having an APC-led government in Oyo State would provide an opportunity for closer coordination between the state and Federal Government in the implementation of development programmes.

Alli said his aspiration to govern the state was driven by a desire to provide purposeful, inclusive and people-centred leadership.

He listed education, security, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment, economic development, workers’ welfare and local government autonomy among the areas his administration would prioritise if elected.

He said the state had significant potential in agriculture, commerce, industry, tourism and human capital, but required deliberate policies to translate those advantages into opportunities for its people.

“We are seeking the mandate to build an Oyo State where our children can receive quality education, our farmers can produce without fear, our young people can find opportunities and our communities can benefit from meaningful infrastructure.

“Our campaign is not about political power for its own sake. It is about service, development and restoring greater confidence in the ability of government to improve the lives of our people,” Alli said.

The APC candidate also called on members of the party across the 33 local government areas and 351 wards of the state to close ranks and work collectively for the success of the party’s candidates.

He urged party members to see the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates as members of one team working towards advancing the interests of Oyo State.

Alli congratulated President Tinubu, the Federal Government, state and local governments as well as Nigerians on the Independence anniversary.

He prayed for peace, security and prosperity in the country and urged citizens to remain hopeful and committed to the task of nation-building.

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