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Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019

Received: 24 October 2019    Accepted: 22 November 2019    Published: 2 December 2019
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Abstract

During an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, health workers (HWs) are at high risk of EVD infection. Health workers infected with EVD are a major risk factor for the failure to control EVD outbreaks. The tenth outbreak is the largest recorded in the DRC, but unfortunately few studies have described the occurrence, case-fatality ratio (CFR) among HWs and their perceptions. The aim of this study was to describe: the occurrence of EVD; related mortality; and perceptions of EVD transmission among HWs. A mixed methods study was conducted in north-eastern DRC in August 2019. A review of EVD surveillance data and in depth interviews with 16 front line HWs were carried out. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim in Swahili before being translated into French and subsequently into English. Quantitative data were imported from Microsoft Excel to Stata 14.0 for analysis. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were used to summarize numeric variables while frequency was used for categorical data. All descriptive statistics are reported with their 95% confidence interval. From 12 July 2018 to 17 August 2019, some 151 confirmed and three probable health worker cases were recorded in the viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) surveillance dataset for the provinces of North-Kivu and Ituri. Heath workers accounted for 5.5% [4.6-6.4]. More than half of the HWs infected were male, with a male to female ratio of 1.3. The mean age of HWs infected was 33.9 years (sd: 10.3). Nosocomial transmission was the most common route of transmission among HWs (94.1%). For more than a quarter of the HWs the contact case was unknown. From a total of 154 infected HWs, some 29 died (CFR: 18.8% [13.0-25.9]). The factors mentioned by HWs as being associated with EVD transmission among them were: ignorance that patient was infected; unavailability of protective equipment; non-compliance of hygienic measures like regular hand washing; violation of EVD infection prevention and control (IPC) standards; and their resistance thereto. The occurrence of EVD cases among HWs is a challenge for the control of the current outbreak in the DRC. It is important to implement strategies to reduce transmission in this population group.

Published in Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 5, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23
Page(s) 310-315
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

EVD, HWS, CRF, Perceptions, DRC

References
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[6] Senga M, Pringle K, Ramsay A, Brett-Major DM, Fowler RA, French I et al. Factors Underlying Ebola Virus Infection Among Health Workers, Kenema, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015. CID 2016: 63 (15 August)
[7] Bemah P, Baller A, Cooper C, Massaquoi M, Skrip L, Rude MJ et al. Strengthening healthcare workforce capacity during and post Ebola outbreaks in Liberia: an innovative and effective approach to epidemic preparedness and response. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2019; 33 (Supp 2): 9. DOI: 10.11604/pamj.supp.2019.33.2.17619
[8] Khan AS, Tshioko FK, Heymann DL, et al. The reemergence of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995. Commission de Lutte contre les Epidemies a Kikwit. J Infect Dis 1999; 179 (suppl 1): S76–86.
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  • APA Style

    Aimee Lulebo Mampasi, Paul Samson Lusamba Dikasa, Joel Konde Nkiama, Patrick Kayembe Kalambayi, Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy, et al. (2019). Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019. Central African Journal of Public Health, 5(6), 310-315. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23

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    ACS Style

    Aimee Lulebo Mampasi; Paul Samson Lusamba Dikasa; Joel Konde Nkiama; Patrick Kayembe Kalambayi; Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy, et al. Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2019, 5(6), 310-315. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23

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    AMA Style

    Aimee Lulebo Mampasi, Paul Samson Lusamba Dikasa, Joel Konde Nkiama, Patrick Kayembe Kalambayi, Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy, et al. Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2019;5(6):310-315. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23,
      author = {Aimee Lulebo Mampasi and Paul Samson Lusamba Dikasa and Joel Konde Nkiama and Patrick Kayembe Kalambayi and Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy and Vieux Mokoli Momeme and Jack Kokolomami Hyyombo Tambwe},
      title = {Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019},
      journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {5},
      number = {6},
      pages = {310-315},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20190506.23},
      abstract = {During an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, health workers (HWs) are at high risk of EVD infection. Health workers infected with EVD are a major risk factor for the failure to control EVD outbreaks. The tenth outbreak is the largest recorded in the DRC, but unfortunately few studies have described the occurrence, case-fatality ratio (CFR) among HWs and their perceptions. The aim of this study was to describe: the occurrence of EVD; related mortality; and perceptions of EVD transmission among HWs. A mixed methods study was conducted in north-eastern DRC in August 2019. A review of EVD surveillance data and in depth interviews with 16 front line HWs were carried out. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim in Swahili before being translated into French and subsequently into English. Quantitative data were imported from Microsoft Excel to Stata 14.0 for analysis. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were used to summarize numeric variables while frequency was used for categorical data. All descriptive statistics are reported with their 95% confidence interval. From 12 July 2018 to 17 August 2019, some 151 confirmed and three probable health worker cases were recorded in the viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) surveillance dataset for the provinces of North-Kivu and Ituri. Heath workers accounted for 5.5% [4.6-6.4]. More than half of the HWs infected were male, with a male to female ratio of 1.3. The mean age of HWs infected was 33.9 years (sd: 10.3). Nosocomial transmission was the most common route of transmission among HWs (94.1%). For more than a quarter of the HWs the contact case was unknown. From a total of 154 infected HWs, some 29 died (CFR: 18.8% [13.0-25.9]). The factors mentioned by HWs as being associated with EVD transmission among them were: ignorance that patient was infected; unavailability of protective equipment; non-compliance of hygienic measures like regular hand washing; violation of EVD infection prevention and control (IPC) standards; and their resistance thereto. The occurrence of EVD cases among HWs is a challenge for the control of the current outbreak in the DRC. It is important to implement strategies to reduce transmission in this population group.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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    T1  - Case-fatality Ratio Due to Ebola Virus Disease in North-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019
    AU  - Aimee Lulebo Mampasi
    AU  - Paul Samson Lusamba Dikasa
    AU  - Joel Konde Nkiama
    AU  - Patrick Kayembe Kalambayi
    AU  - Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy
    AU  - Vieux Mokoli Momeme
    AU  - Jack Kokolomami Hyyombo Tambwe
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.cajph.20190506.23
    T2  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Central African Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 310
    EP  - 315
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5781
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    AB  - During an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, health workers (HWs) are at high risk of EVD infection. Health workers infected with EVD are a major risk factor for the failure to control EVD outbreaks. The tenth outbreak is the largest recorded in the DRC, but unfortunately few studies have described the occurrence, case-fatality ratio (CFR) among HWs and their perceptions. The aim of this study was to describe: the occurrence of EVD; related mortality; and perceptions of EVD transmission among HWs. A mixed methods study was conducted in north-eastern DRC in August 2019. A review of EVD surveillance data and in depth interviews with 16 front line HWs were carried out. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim in Swahili before being translated into French and subsequently into English. Quantitative data were imported from Microsoft Excel to Stata 14.0 for analysis. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were used to summarize numeric variables while frequency was used for categorical data. All descriptive statistics are reported with their 95% confidence interval. From 12 July 2018 to 17 August 2019, some 151 confirmed and three probable health worker cases were recorded in the viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) surveillance dataset for the provinces of North-Kivu and Ituri. Heath workers accounted for 5.5% [4.6-6.4]. More than half of the HWs infected were male, with a male to female ratio of 1.3. The mean age of HWs infected was 33.9 years (sd: 10.3). Nosocomial transmission was the most common route of transmission among HWs (94.1%). For more than a quarter of the HWs the contact case was unknown. From a total of 154 infected HWs, some 29 died (CFR: 18.8% [13.0-25.9]). The factors mentioned by HWs as being associated with EVD transmission among them were: ignorance that patient was infected; unavailability of protective equipment; non-compliance of hygienic measures like regular hand washing; violation of EVD infection prevention and control (IPC) standards; and their resistance thereto. The occurrence of EVD cases among HWs is a challenge for the control of the current outbreak in the DRC. It is important to implement strategies to reduce transmission in this population group.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Division of Nephrology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

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