This report is primarily intended for the community of policymakers and researchers concerned about the rising risks of domestic, regional, and global infectious disease epidemics, and the collective failure to take the coordinated actions required to reduce such risks. These risks include the expec...ted health, economic, and societal costs that are borne by countries, regions, and even all nations in the case of pandemics (which are worldwide epidemics). These risks also include the consequences of increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its spread within regions and globally. A necessary first step is to monitor whether a broad range of stakeholders are acting to prevent outbreaks from becoming epidemics, whether their capacities to respond to epidemics are robust, and whether preparedness to respond to pandemics and limit the resulting economic and health damage is improving. Analyzing the adequacy of these efforts is vitally important for the decisions of policymakers to invest in the public health and disaster-risk management capacities. Early and effective control of disease outbreaks prevents substantial health and economic costs whether or not the disease can spread globally and become a pandemic.
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This threat assessment addresses the implications of the ongoing Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in
Rwanda for the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). MVD is a severe disease in humans and,
although uncommon, it has the potential ...to cause epidemics with significant case fatality. All recorded MVD
outbreaks to date have originated in Africa. MVD is not an airborne disease and is considered not to be
contagious before symptoms appear. Direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of infected people
and animals or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces and materials like clothing, bedding and medical
equipment is required for transmission. The risk of infection is minimised when proper infection prevention and
control precautions are strictly followed. There is no approved treatment or vaccine for MVD; however, several
pharmaceuticals and candidate MVD vaccines are under investigation.
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For Healht Promotion Team
This preliminary report summarizes the impact of the Ebola epidemic on the health workforce of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It investigates the determinants of infection and describes safe practices put in place to protect health workers during... the epidemic. The report covers the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 March 2015 and is presents findings from the 815 confirmed and probable cases for whom individual case reports were available.
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Laboratory Biossafety Manual
Up-to-date Literature review current through: Jan 2015. | This topic last updated: Jan 29, 2015.
The goals of Ebola virus disease (EVD) surveillance during Phase 3 of the Ebola response are to promptly detect new, suspected EVD cases and deaths so as to trigger appropriate response, including r...apid diagnosis, case isolation and management, contact tracing, safe burials, and the identification of transmission chains
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