This interim guidance is for LTCF managers and corresponding infection prevention and control (IPC) focal persons in LTCF and updates the guidance published in March 2020. The objective of this document is to provide guidance on IPC in LTCFs in the ...context of COVID-19 to 1) prevent COVID-19-virus from entering the facility and spreading within the facility, and 2) to support safe conditions for visiting through the rigorous application of IPC procedures for the residents’ well-being. WHO will update these recommendations as new information becomes available.
Availabel in English, French, Russian and Spanish
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The aim of this document is to provide interim guidance for interventions to reduce the risk of maternal Zika virus infection and to manage potential complications during pregnancy. This guidance is... based on the best available research evidence and covers areas prioritized by an international, multidisciplinary group of health care professionals and other stakeholders. Specifically, it presents guidance for preventing Zika virus infection;antenatal care and management of women with infection; and care during pregnancy for all pregnant women living in affected areas, with the aim of optimizing health outcomes for mothers and newborns.
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Hendra virus (HeV) continues to pose a serious public health concern as spillover events occur sporadically. Terminally ill horses can exhibit a range of clinical signs including frothy nasal discharge, ataxia or forebrain signs. Early signs, if det...ected, can include depression, inappetence, colic or mild respiratory signs. All unvaccinated ill horses in areas where flying foxes exist, may potentially be infected with HeV, posing a significant risk to the veterinary community. Equivac® HeV vaccine has been fully registered in Australia since 2015 (and under an Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority special permit since 2012) for immunization of horses against HeV and is the most effective and direct solution to prevent disease transmission to horses and protect humans. No HeV vaccinated horse has tested positive for HeV infection. There is no registered vaccine to prevent, or therapeutics to treat, HeV infection in humans. Previous equine HeV outbreaks tended to cluster in winter overlapping with the foaling season (August to December), when veterinarians and horse owners have frequent close contact with horses and their bodily fluids, increasing the chance of zoonotic disease transmission. The most southerly case was detected in 2019 in the Upper Hunter region in New South Wales, which is Australia's Thoroughbred horse breeding capital. Future spillover events are predicted to move further south and inland in Queensland and New South Wales, aligning with the moving distribution of the main reservoir hosts. Here we (1) review HeV epidemiology and climate change predicted infection dynamics, (2) present a biosecurity protocol for veterinary clinics and hospitals to adopt, and (3) describe diagnostic tests currently available and those under development. Major knowledge and research gaps have been identified, including evaluation of vaccine efficacy in foals to assess current vaccination protocol recommendations.
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The immediate objective of the country visit to Cameroon was to ensure that the country is as operationally ready as possible to effectively and safely detect, investigate and report potential Ebola virus disease cases and to mount an effective res...ponse that will prevent a larger outbreak. After technical working group meetings, field visits, a “table-top” exercise and a hospital-based simulation exercises were undertaken.
Key strengths and weaknesses were identified, and the following areas for improvement were proposed to the Ministry of Health: coordination, surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, rapid response teams, case management, social mobilization, laboratory, points of entry, budget, logistics.
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The preparedness strengthening team deployed to Ghana focused on specific objectives in order to assist the country in becoming as operationally prepared as possible to detect, investigate and report potential EVD cases effectively and safely and to mount an effective response to prevent a larger o...utbreak. To accomplish this goal, the team conducted “scoping” activities, stakeholder meetings, site visits and a “table-top” simulation exercise to determine what systems were in place and what aspects of preparedness could be strengthened.
It is organized in 10 components of the WHO consolidated checklist for EVD preparedness: 1) planning and coordination; 2) epidemiological and laboratory surveillance; 3) rapid response teams; 4) contact tracing; 5) points of entry; 6) laboratory; 7) case management; 8) infection prevention and control; 9) social mobilization and risk communication; 10) budget.
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The main objective of this mission was to assess the level of preparedness of Guinea-Bissau in respect of the WHO consolidated checklist. The checklist helps countries to assess and test their level of readiness it is being used to identify concrete action to be taken and where countries will requir...e support from partners. It lists 10 key components and tasks for both countries and the international community that should be completed within 30, 60 and 90 days from the date of issue of the list, with minimal requirements for equipment, material and human resources.
The components include: overall coordination; rapid response teams; public awareness and community engagement; infection prevention and control; epidemiological and laboratory surveillance; contact tracing; points of entry; laboratory; social mobilization and risk communication; budget.
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This guidance note developed by UNICEF helps WASH staff in their preparedness and response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an overview of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and its intersection with water, sanitation and hygiene (W...ASH). It also provides key actions that staff can implement to help prevent infection and its spread in health-care facilities: from human to human, among health care workers and patients, through droplets, and by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. WASH, including waste management and environmental cleaning, is essential for IPC
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This guidance note developed by UNICEF is intended to help WASH staff in their preparedness and response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an overview of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and its intersection with water, sanitation ...and hygiene (WASH), and how staff can help prevent infection and its spread in schools, whether through human-to-human or by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. WASH services, including waste management and environmental cleaning, are all important for IPC. This brief is available in English, Spanish, and French here.
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The WHO continuously reviews available data on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. For this version, the global epidemiological
situation of the COVID-19 pandemic as of 21 January 2022 – at a time when the Omicron VOC had been identified in 171
countries across all six WHO Regions and was rapidly re...placing Delta worldwide – was considered Omicron has a substantial growth advantage, higher secondary attack rates and a higher observed reproduction number than Delta.
There is now significant evidence that immune evasion contributes to the rapid spread of Omicron. Other factors may be a shorter
serial interval (by about 0.8 to 1.2 days compared to Delta) and potential increased intrinsic transmission fitness . There is
growing evidence that with Omicron, there is lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection and symptomatic disease soon after vaccination compared to Delta. There is also evidence of accelerated waning of VE over time of the primary series against infection and symptomatic disease for the studied vaccines. Further studies are required to better understand the drivers of transmission and declining incidence in various settings. These factors include the intrinsic transmission fitness properties of the virus, degree of immune evasion, vaccination coverage and level of vaccine-derived and post-infection immunity, levels of social mixing and degree of application of public health and social measures (PHSM).
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L’orthopoxvirus simien ou virus de la variole du singe (MPXV), est un virus à ADN double brin qui appartient au genre Orthopoxvirus de la famille
des Poxviridés. Les poxvirus causent des maladi...es chez l’espèce humaine et beaucoup d’autres animaux ; l’infection se manifeste généralement par la formation de lésions, de nodules cutanés ou d’une éruption cutanée disséminée. Les autres espèces d’orthopoxvirus (OPXV) pathogènes pour l’être humain comprennent le virus de la variole bovine et le virus variolique (responsable de la variole, qui a été éradiquée). Le virus de la vaccine est également un OPXV qui a été utilisé pour la vaccination humaine, et a été un outil essentiel pour l’éradication de la variole, obtenue en 1980. Le MPXV doit son nom au fait qu’il a été identifié pour la première fois chez le singe. Le MPXV se retrouve principalement chez les rongeurs, mais son réservoir reste indéterminé. Il existe deux clades connus du MPXV, l’un endémique en Afrique de l’Ouest, et l’autre dans la région du bassin du Congo.
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Anyone planning to conduct humanitarian work in areas of Africa where outbreaks of Ebola virus disease are known to occur needs to be familiar with how Ebola virus is transmitted.
This leaflet reco...mmends the precautions that humanitarian workers should take and provides advice on what to do if you suspect an infection
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Inerim Guidance. These guidelines have been developed in recognition that infection with Zika virus may present a risk to blood safety, and in consideration of the declaration on 1 February 2016 by ...the WHO Director-General of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern with regard to clusters of microcephaly and other neurological disorders, potentially associated with Zika virus. Currently there is limited knowledge of Zika virus biology and lack of definitive evidence of a link between infection and potential complications
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This document provides interim guidance for effective risk communication around Zika virus transmission and potential complications. A causal relationship between Zika virus ...o-highlight medbox">infection and these potential complications has not yet been proven. In this uncertainty, effective communication strategies should be implemented to enable people to take the best informed decisions about protecting themselves, their families and communities. This interim guidance is intended to be used by risk and health communication managers, staff and volunteers at global, regional or country level; communications professionals; anthropologists; sociologists; healthcare providers;hospital administrators; community leaders; programme managers;
and policymakers.
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WHO estimates that in 2015, 257 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection worldwide, and that 900 000 died from HBV infect...ion, mostly through the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Worldwide, the majority of persons with chronic hepatitis B infection and associated deaths in adulthood acquired their infection at birth through mother-to-child perinatal transmission or in early childhood.
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Any individual that meets the suspected case definition of monkeypox should be offered testing in appropriately equipped laboratories by staff trained in the relevant technical and safety procedures. Confirmation of monkeypox virus ...ibute-to-highlight medbox">infection is based on nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), using real-time or conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for detection of unique sequences of viral DNA. PCR can be used alone, or in combination with sequencing. The recommended specimen type for laboratory confirmation of monkeypox is skin lesion material, including swabs of lesion surface and/or exudate, roofs from more than one lesion, or lesion crusts.
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It is intended for clinicians who are working in intensive care units (ICUs) in low and middle-income countries and managing adult and pediatric patients with severe forms of acute respiratory infection (SARI), including severe pneumonia, acute resp...iratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock. It is a hands-on practical guide to be used by health care professionals involved in clinical care management during outbreaks of influenza virus (seasonal) human infection due avian influenza virus (H5N1, H7N9), MERS-CoV, COVID-19 or other emerging respiratory viral epidemics.
This course is also available in the following languages:
français - русский - Português - Bahasa Indonesia - Tiếng Việt - Español - македонски - العربية - Tetun
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Learn more about the Ebola virus and how to avoid it. Free online course.
Having completed this course the learner will be able to: - Describe what the Ebola virus is; - List the countries where th...e outbreak has occurred; - Explain what the signs and symptoms of an infection are; - Explain how an infection is treated; - Explain how to avoid becoming infected
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This comprehensive intermediate level course is for clinicians caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD). Modules provide information on screening and triage, infection...n> prevention and control, laboratory diagnostics, organization of the Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC), clinical care of patients in the ETC, and investigational therapeutic agents.
This training course provides clinicians with access to downloadable presentations and posters to facilitate their management of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Under this section, please find a Congolese Swahili translation of all modules with their presentation.
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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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Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2016. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.16.171082
Objective: To describe the temporal and geographical distribution of Zika virus infection, and associat...ed neurological disorders, from 1947 to February 2016.
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