NEWS

Outbreak: Ebola Virus On The Rampage, Kills 3 In DR Congo

Published

7 years ago

May 16, 2017

Three people have died from an Ebola outbreak in a remote northern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as health officials travel to the central African country in response to a rising number of suspected cases, the World Health Organization says.

Last week, WHO reported one Ebola-related death and the possibility of two others. On Saturday, the organization confirmed the other two deaths were also Ebola-related.

The first case, which came April 22, involved a 45-year-old man. The taxi driver who took the man to the hospital and a person who cared for the man both became sick and later died, WHO said.

All three deaths came in the Likati health district of Bas-Uele province, which borders the Central African Republic.

Bas-Uele province, with a population of 900,000 in 2007, is mostly inhabited by the Boa tribe, which subsists through farming and hunting and conducts some trade by way of the Uele River.

Health officials are investigating 17 other suspected cases, Dr. Ernest Dabire, WHO’s health cluster coordinator, said Sunday in Kinshasa. He further estimated that 125 people had been linked to the confirmed Ebola cases and urged the public to be vigilant and visit their doctor if they experience fever or other symptoms.

Symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and hemorrhaging can begin two to 21 days after exposure.

Though the scope of the outbreak is not yet known, WHO is not recommending any restrictions on trade with or travel to DRC.

Ebola is a highly infectious virus spread through contact with bodily fluids, and testing shows the latest outbreak involves the Zaire strain, the most dangerous of the viruses known to cause the disease.

Background on the virus

A 2007 outbreak of this strain in Congo had a fatality rate of 74%, claiming 200 lives.

On Saturday, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa, met with national authorities in Kinshasa to discuss ways to mount a response to the outbreak.

“WHO has already mobilized technical experts to be deployed on the ground and is ready to provide the leadership and technical expertise required to mount a coordinated and effective response,” Moeti said.

Three days prior, a team led by the DRC’s Health Ministry began the trek to the Likati health zone to begin an investigation. The 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) route from Kinshasa to Likati is remote and isolated with limited transportation networks, requiring two to three days of travel.

The team included epidemiologists, biologists and specialists in the areas of social mobilization, risk communication, community engagement and water, hygiene and sanitation, said Dr. Allarangar Yokouidé, a WHO representative.

There is no approved vaccine to prevent the virus, and there is no approved treatment or cure. Clinical trials of an experimental vaccine are ongoing in West Africa.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been briefed on the outbreak and stands ready to provide epidemiological or laboratory support, if necessary, said spokeswoman Amy Rowland. The CDC has a team in the country working on a monkeypox vaccine trial, she said.

Médecins Sans Frontières, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other international organizations are standing by as well, WHO said last week.

Rowland pointed out that DRC has extensive experience with Ebola, this being the country’s eighth outbreak since the virus was discovered near the Ebola River in 1976.

The last outbreak in 2014 in DRC’s Boende region — an event unrelated to the 2014 West Africa outbreak that killed thousands — was short-lived, as a team of field epidemiologists quickly stopped the spread of the disease, limiting it to 66 cases, 49 of them fatal.

These “disease detectives” are in a good position to help with the current outbreak, Rowland said.

Aside from the 1976 outbreak in DRC, which killed 280 people in Yambuku, the deadliest outbreak came in 1995, when Ebola killed 250 people in Kikwit.

Are concerns of a global pandemic founded?

In 2014, more than 11,300 people were killed in the worst-ever outbreak of the virus in West Africa, most of them in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. During that outbreak, which WHO declared a “public health emergency of international concern,” the Western Hemisphere also saw its first Ebola patients.

Seven Americans who had been working in Africa became infected and were transported to the United States for treatment. In addition, two American nurses were infected after caring for a Liberian man who died from the virus in the hospital where they worked in Texas.

-CNN

Related Topics:Ebola Virus On The Rampage Kills 3

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NEWS

Bobrisky Released On Bail After Denying 15 Million Naira Bribery Allegations

Published

16 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Reporter

Bobrisky granted bail after denying N15m bribery allegation | fab.ng

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently granted bail to Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, following his detention.

On Thursday night, Bobrisky was apprehended and removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport while attempting to travel to London.

Subsequently, Bobrisky took to social media to inform his followers about his arrest, claiming to have sustained injuries during the incident.

He posted, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”

After his arrest, officials transported him to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for questioning over alleged bribery claims involving the commission.

The allegations arose when social media critic Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, released a voice note reportedly featuring Bobrisky’s voice. In the recording, Bobrisky allegedly claimed he had bribed EFCC officials with N15 million to drop money laundering charges.

However, late on Friday, November 1, authorities processed Bobrisky’s bail, and he regained his freedom shortly after. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the release on Saturday but declined to provide additional information.

A source close to the case disclosed that Bobrisky denied all bribery allegations in his official statement. He also challenged the voice note’s authenticity, urging the individual who shared it to prove the claims.

According to the source, Bobrisky asserted that no EFCC official had solicited money from him and insisted he had not offered any bribe.

Through this statement, Bobrisky maintained his innocence, asserting that the bribery accusations were baseless. Meanwhile, the EFCC has yet to comment further on the case. This leaves questions about the voice note’s origins and the nature of the allegations still unresolved.

BREAKING NEWS

Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson’s Producer, Dies At 91

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Reporter

Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson's producer, dies at 91 | fab.ng

Quincy Jones, a legendary music producer renowned for his collaborations with iconic artists, passed away on November 4, 2024, at the age of 91.

His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed the news. Jones’ family released a heartfelt statement, expressing their grief and celebrating his extraordinary life and enduring legacy.

They said,

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

They added, “We take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’s heart will beat for eternity.”

Born in Chicago in 1933, Quincy Jones’s lineage was a complex tapestry of history. His mother descended from slave owners, while his father, half-white, was the son of a Welsh slave master and one of his enslaved women.

Jones’s early exposure to music began at home, where his mother’s singing and a neighbour’s piano ignited his passion. At the tender age of seven, he started learning to play the piano.

Following his parents’ divorce, Jones and his father moved to Washington State. There, he joined his high school band, mastering the drums and various brass instruments.

His musical journey took a significant turn at the age of 14 when he began performing in Seattle bars. A remarkable moment arrived in 1948 when he backed Billie Holiday, sharing the stage with a young Ray Charles.

After a brief stint at Seattle University studying music, Jones ventured to Boston to complete his education. His illustrious career, spanning over seven decades, was marked by groundbreaking collaborations with legendary artists.

He worked alongside Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and many others. Indeed, one of his most iconic achievements was producing Michael Jackson’s historic album, “Thriller.”

Check out more news updates here.

MOVIES

AMAA 2024: “The Weekend” & “Jagun Jagun” Take Home Major Wins

Published

18 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Reporter

AMAA 2024: The Weekend & Jagun Jagun Wins Big | fab.ng

The 20th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) took place yesterday, November 2nd, 2024, at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Ikeja, Lagos.

This year, the AMAA 2024 ceremony honoured first-time winners and celebrated the best in African cinema. This brought filmmakers from across the globe together under one roof.

Notably, Nollywood actor Segun Arinze and Ghanaian actress Joselyn Dumas hosted the event. In addition, legendary Afrobeat musicians Femi Kuti and Yinka Davies performed, adding a unique flair to the ceremony.

A line-up of pan-African artists, including Narh Tettey, Bedwei Kwaku, and Adina Thembi, further entertained the audience.

Leading the jury, filmmaker and curator Dorothee Wenner, along with a distinguished panel, reviewed the nominated films, recognizing exceptional talent and storytelling in African cinema.

Among the major highlights in AMAA 2024, the Nigerian-directed drama “The Weekend” dominated the evening. It won the “Best Film Award” for both Nigeria and Africa.

Furthermore, Femi Adebayo won the “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” award for his performance in the historical thriller “Jagun Jagun.”

Notably, after receiving seven nominations, the film also claimed awards for Achievement in Visual Effects and Make-up.

Meanwhile, Elsie Abang earned “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” for her performance in “KIPKEMBOI.” Likewise, Michell Lemuya claimed the “Best Young Promising Actor” award for her role in “NAWI.”

In the leading roles category, South Africa’s Zolisa Xaluva took home “Best Actor in a Leading Role” for his work in “The Queenstown King.”

Similarly, Ghana’s Jackie Appiah won “Best Actress in a Leading Role” for her performance in “Red Carpet.”

Continuing the list of accolades, “Letters to Goddo,” directed by Harry Bentil, won the “Best Feature Film by a Director” award. Meanwhile, Jahmil X.T. Qubeka earned the “Best Director” title for his work on “The Queenstown Kings.”

In recognition of lifelong achievements, the Academy presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to notable filmmakers Souleymane Cissé from Mali, Nacer Khemir from Tunisia, and Haile Gerima from Ethiopia.

Additionally, Alain Gomis from Senegal and Gabon, along with Zimbabwean author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, received special recognition awards in AMAA 2024 for their valuable contributions to African cinema.

See the full list of AMAA 2024 winners below: