SUMMARY
There were 5 confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in the week to 13 September, all of which were in Sierra Leone. Guinea recorded its first EVD-free week in over 12 months. All but one of the cases in Sierra Leone were registered contacts associated with the Kambia chain of transmission. A new confirmed case was also reported from the central Sierra Leonean district of Bombali, which has not reported a case for over 5 months. The case, a 16-year-old girl, had severe symptoms in the community for several days before being admitted to an Ebola treatment centre (ETC). There is considered to be a high-risk of further transmission associated with this case, and over 600 contacts have been identified so far. A rapid-response team has been deployed in order to minimise the risk of further transmission and establish the origin of infection. The total number of contacts under observation in Guinea and Sierra Leone has increased from approximately 1300 on 6 September to 1800 on 13 September. The vast majority of these contacts are located in the Sierra Leonean districts of Bombali and Kambia. Approximately 60 contacts are considered to be high-risk.
Guinea recorded a twelfth consecutive day without a confirmed case on 13 September. The last confirmed case was reported on 1 September from the Ratoma area of the capital, Conakry. However, over 200 contacts remain under follow-up in Conakry and the nearby prefecture of Dubreka; the majority of contacts in Conakry are approximately halfway through their 21-day follow-up period, with those in Dubreka due to complete follow-up on 16 September. A total of 23 contacts have been lost to follow-up during the past 42 days, at least one of whom was considered a high-risk contact. Rapid-response teams remain on alert and ready to deploy should any further cases be reported.
Of the 5 new confirmed cases reported from Sierra Leone in the week to 13 September, 4 were high-risk contacts associated with the Kambia transmission chain centred on several homes in the village of Sella Kafta, Tonko Limba chiefdom. All 4 cases are close relatives of the initial case in the cluster: an approximately 60-year-old woman identified as a community death during the week to 30 August. Over 840 contacts have been identified in association with the chain of transmission, although the majority of these contacts have been defined by geographical proximity rather than by history of possible exposure, and are therefore considered to be at low risk. Approximately 40 high-risk contacts have been identified in association with the Kambia chain of transmission; one high-risk contact has been lost to follow-up and is being traced. In addition, a case was reported from Bombali Sebora chiefdom in the district of Bombali on 13 September. The case, a 16-year-old girl, was symptomatic in the community for several days before her death shortly after admission to an ETC. The origin of infection is currently under investigation. Bombali had not reported a case for over 5 months. A rapid response team has been deployed to coordinate case investigation and contact tracing. Over 600 contacts in a community of approximately 800 people have been identified so far, of whom 18 are considered to be high-risk contacts; one high-risk contact has not yet been traced.
No new health worker infections were reported in the week to 13 September. There have been a total of 881 confirmed health worker infections reported from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone since the start of the outbreak, with 513 reported deaths.