Description of the situation
As of 14 April 2003, the Ministry of Health has reported 140 cases, including 123 deaths, in the districts of Mbomo and Kéllé in Cuvette Ouest Département. ( see previous report ). Thirteen of the cases are laboratory confirmed and 127 are epidemiologically linked.
The most recent nine reported cases lived in the same remote village of Ndjoukou (in Kéllé district) and occurred within the last 2 weeks. Twelve contacts have been identified in this village and are being visited on a regular basis by national Red Cross volunteers.
Contact follow-up in the towns of Mbomo and Kéllé is no longer being carried out as the last cases were reported on 15 and 23 March respectively.
The Ministry of Health, the Congolese Red Cross and the international team, including WHO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC) continue to assist in social mobilization, surveillance and case management activities.