EBOLA/EVD [to 13 June 2015]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); “Threat to international peace and security” (UN Security Council)

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WHO: Ebola Situation Report – 10 June 2015
[Excerpts]
SUMMARY
:: In recent weeks, the decline in case incidence and the contraction of the geographic area affected by Ebola virus disease (EVD) transmission that was apparent throughout April and early May has stalled. In total, 31 confirmed cases of EVD were reported in the week ending 7 June: 16 cases in Guinea and 15 in Sierra Leone. This is the second consecutive weekly increase in case incidence, and the highest weekly total number of cases reported from Sierra Leone since late March. In addition, cases were reported from a widening geographical area in Guinea and Sierra Leone, and the continued occurrence of cases that arise from unknown sources of infection highlights the challenges still faced in finding and eliminating every chain of transmission…

COUNTRIES WITH WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE TRANSMISSION
:: There have been a total of 27,237 reported confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of EVD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (figure 1, table 1), with 11,158 reported deaths (this total includes reported deaths among probable and suspected cases, although outcomes for many cases are unknown). A total of 16 new confirmed cases were reported in Guinea and 15 in Sierra Leone in the 7 days to 7 June. The outbreak in Liberia was declared over on 9 May…

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IOM and CDC conduct Ebola Virus Disease outbreak assessment in Boke, Guinea
06/12/15
Guinea, one of the three hardest hit countries by the Ebola outbreak is still struggling to contain the virus spread. In mid-May, a new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak was declared in Boké Prefecture, a region bordering Guinea Bissau.

In collaboration with Centre for Disease Control and Prevention – Atlanta (CDC), IOM has conducted an assessment in Boké Prefecture to assess the capacity of regional and local authorities to respond and further halt the spread of EVD.

“Recent development of the epidemic in the Prefecture of Boké at the border with GB increases the risk of introduction of Ebola into this unaffected country‏,” said Alexandre Robert, Ebola Regional Project Officer. “The analysis of EVD epidemiological data supports a correlation between cross-border mobility and sustained EVD transmission. A comprehensive intervention at the border is an essential component in the strategy to reduce EVD transmission.”…

…Boké prefecture is host to several important economic activities in the country; including mining, agriculture, and fisheries. The assessment team found monitoring of population mobility and cross-border movements for EVD infected travellers and contact cases will be a great challenge…

…The Prefecture and National Ebola response authorities have requested that IOM and CDC provide technical and material support in setting-up of health checkpoints on the roads around Kamsar. The team also recommended that other health checkpoints be set up at the main border point of entry.

“We have called for strengthening of social mobilization and enhancing capacity of Community Health Workers who are able to reach isolated communities,” said Mario Breton, team leader CDC Border Health team in Guinea…

…IOM will support the health screening at Points of Entry as part of the Health and Humanitarian Border Management framework in partnership with CDC Border Health team.
To this end, IOM will work with border officials, health facilities and related community health system located in border areas to strengthen their capacity to perform epidemiological surveillance, EVD case management, alert and referral systems in coordination with Points of Entry. Activities will start in June and the first expected outcome is the strengthening of the capacities of sea border officials to perform health screening of the fishermen who are transiting between Kamsar and several islands off of the coastal areas of this city…

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UNMEER [to 13 June 2015]
https://ebolaresponse.un.org/press-releases
Selected Press Releases
10 Jun 2015
Liberia still cautious one month into being declared free of Ebola transmission

08 Jun 2015
UNMEER Chief thanks President Mahama for ‘extraordinary leadership and solidarity’

Selected Statements
02 Jun 2015
:: Acting UNMEER SRSG Peter Graaff’s remarks to the General Assembly informal plenary on Ebola
:: Special Envoy David Nabarro’s remarks to the General Assembly informal plenary on Ebola
:: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the General Assembly informal plenary on Ebola

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WHO: Over 1.3 million under five children in Sierra Leone to be vaccinated against measles and polio
FREETOWN, 5 June 2015 – The year-long Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone has had a negative impact on basic health services, especially maternal and child health, with opportunistic childhood diseases such as measles and polio continuing to challenge an already overstretched system.

So, while continuing to support the push to zero new Ebola cases, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and other development partners, continues to work to restore basic health services – one of the Government’s priorities in the early recovery from the health emergency.

A major step forward starts today with the commencement of a six-day (5-10 June) nationwide mass measles and polio vaccination campaign for children under five years in all the districts in the country which should benefit more than 1.3 million children.

“While we laud the efforts of all the key stakeholders in this campaign and the fight against Ebola, we must not relent so as to lose focus on tackling other childhood diseases that are taking a toll on our children before they reach their fifth birthday,” said Dr Abubakarr Fofanah, Minister of Health and Sanitation.

Many children missed out on routine vaccination services due to the Ebola outbreak. Since 2014, measles outbreaks, mostly among under five children, have been reported in the country…

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Government of Canada strengthens Ebola preparedness for Canadians
Contract signed to manufacture ZMappTM to help protect Canadians
OTTAWA, June 10, 2015 /CNW/ – The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Gregory Taylor, today announced a $4.5 million USD contract between the Government of Canada and Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Inc. to manufacture a number of courses of ZMappTM monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for Ebola.
The ZMappTM treatment, developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, uses two mAbs discovered by scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg and one mAb discovered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). ZMappTM has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials in the United States and West Africa and has shown promise when used to treat infected individuals.
This contract with Mapp Biopharmaceutical secures Canada’s access to this Ebola treatment….