HIGHLIGHTS
CDC Foundation dedicates emergency operations centers in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
USAID/OFDA partners provide emergency assistance and IPC support for flood-affected people in Sierra Leone
GoG approves use of rapid diagnostic tests for EVD
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Following 14 days with no new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases, the Government of Guinea (GoG) reported two EVD-positive cases in Conakry Prefecture between September 16 and 20. Guinea’s National Ebola Coordination Cell plans to launch an active EVD case finding campaign on September 28 to mitigate the risk of further EVD transmission.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has released a framework for the current Phase 3 of the regional EVD response, identifying two key objectives: to define and interrupt all remaining chains of EVD transmission and to identify, manage, and respond to residual risks. Using Phase 3 strategies, response actors aim to build upon recent improvements to case investigation and contact tracing, rapid isolation and treatment, and engagement with EVDaffected communities in Guinea and Sierra Leone, while strengthening residual rapid response capacity in Liberia. WHO credits recent efforts in Guinea and Sierra Leone with a decrease in regional case incidence, which has remained below ten cases per week since late July.