世界卫生组织:埃博拉疫情终结了!
2016/1/15 公共卫生与预防医学

     世界卫生组织于2016年1月14日宣布,在利比里亚发生的埃博拉病毒病最新疫情结束,并表示西非所有已知传播链已经被阻断。但这方面的工作仍未结束,预计还会出现病例突发情况,强有力的监测和应对系统在未来数月中仍然至关重要。

    

     这是一张来自利比里亚首都的埃博拉幸存者Abraham的笑脸

     利比里亚于2015年5月首次宣布没有埃博拉传播,但自此以后两度出现了病毒被重新输入情况。最新一次病例突发情况发生在去年11月。世卫组织的这一宣布是在利比里亚最后一位确诊病人经两次检测均呈阴性之后达42天时(病毒21天潜伏期的两倍)做出的。

    

     三国实现零病例“世卫组织对利比里亚政府和人民就最近再次出现的这起埃博拉疫情所做的有效应对表示称赞,”世卫组织驻利比里亚代表Alex Gasasira博士说。“快速地遏制住病例突发情况,证明了该国政府的疾病疫情处置能力已经得到加强。世卫组织将继续对利比里亚提供支持,努力预防、发现和应对疑似病例。”

    

     2016年1月14日这个日子标志着自两年前发生疫情以来所有三个受影响最重国家(几内亚、利比里亚和塞拉利昂)首次在至少42天内实现零病例报告。塞拉利昂和几内亚已分别于2015年11月7日和12月29日宣布埃博拉传播已经终止。

    

    陈冯富珍博士 世卫组织总干事“发现并且阻断每一个传播链属于一项历史性成就。面临如此巨大的需求,国家当局、英勇的卫生工作者、民间社会、当地和国际组织以及慷慨解囊的合作伙伴取得了如此傲人的成绩。但我们的工作尚未完成,仍有必要保持警惕,防止出现新发疫情。”

     仍须保持警惕需要注意的是,这三个国家依然处于发生更多小型埃博拉疫情的高度危险之中,就像在利比里亚最新出现的情况那样。到目前为止,已经确认出现了不属于最初疫情的10次病例突发情况,并且有可能是由于康复之后病毒在幸存者体内持续存在造成的。有证据显示,虽然该病毒相对较快地在幸存者体内消失,但可在少部分男性幸存者的精液中生存长达一年之久并传给亲密伴侣,尽管这属于罕见情况。

    

    Bruce Aylward博士世卫组织埃博拉应对特别代表“随着我们从处理病例和病人转向处理新发感染残余危险,我们现在处于埃博拉流行的关键阶段。由于病毒逐渐从幸存者群体中消失,因此再次出现感染的危险正在降低。但预料依然会出现更多病例突发情况,所以我们必须为此做出准备。我们正在积极努力,以确保在今年3月底之前使所有三个国家具备强有力的预防、监测和应对能力。”

     世卫组织和合作伙伴正与几内亚、利比里亚和塞拉利昂政府合作,协助确保幸存者可以获得医疗和心理照护并得到持续存在病毒筛查,以及咨询和宣传教育,帮助他们重新融入到家庭和社区生活,降低耻辱感并尽量减小埃博拉病毒传播危险。

    

     埃博拉流行使超过11300人失去生命并使逾28500人被感染。该病对几内亚、利比里亚和塞拉利昂这三个国家所有的家庭、社区和卫生及经济体系造成了严重破坏。

    

     West Africa is at zero: latest Ebola outbreak over in Liberia

     On 14 January 2016, WHO declared the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia and said all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa. But the Organization said the job is not over, more flare-ups are expected and that strong surveillance and response systems will be critical in the months to come.

     Liberia was first declared free of Ebola transmission in May 2015, but the virus was re-introduced twice since then, with the latest flare-up in November. This WHO announcement came 42 days (two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus) after the last confirmed patient in Liberia tested negative for the disease 2 times.

    

    All 3 countries at zero

     “WHO commends Liberia’s government and people on their effective response to this recent re-emergence of Ebola,” says Dr Alex Gasasira, WHO Representative in Liberia. “The rapid cessation of the flare-up is a concrete demonstration of the government’s strengthened capacity to manage disease outbreaks. WHO will continue to support Liberia in its effort to prevent, detect and respond to suspected cases.”

    

     This date marks the first time since the start of the epidemic 2 years ago that all 3 of the hardest-hit countries—Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone—have reported 0 cases for at least 42 days. Sierra Leone was declared free of Ebola transmission on 7 November 2015 and Guinea on 29 December.

     “Detecting and breaking every chain of transmission has been a monumental achievement,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “So much was needed and so much was accomplished by national authorities, heroic health workers, civil society, local and international organizations and generous partners. But our work is not done and vigilance is necessary to prevent new outbreaks.”

    

     Vigilance needs to be maintained

     WHO cautions that the 3 countries remain at high risk of additional small outbreaks of Ebola, like the most recent one in Liberia. To date, 10 such flare-ups have been identified that were not part of the original outbreak, and are likely the result of the virus persisting in survivors even after recovery. Evidence shows that the virus disappears relatively quickly from survivors, but can remain in the semen of a small number of male survivors for as long as 1 year, and in rare instances, be transmitted to intimate partners.

    

     “We are now at a critical period in the Ebola epidemic as we move from managing cases and patients to managing the residual risk of new infections,” says Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO’s Special Representative for the Ebola Response. “The risk of re-introduction of infection is diminishing as the virus gradually clears from the survivor population, but we still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them. A massive effort is underway to ensure robust prevention, surveillance and response capacity across all three countries by the end of March.”

     WHO and partners are working with the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to help ensure that survivors have access to medical and psychosocial care and screening for persistent virus, as well as counselling and education to help them reintegrate into family and community life, reduce stigma and minimize the risk of Ebola virus transmission.

    

     The Ebola epidemic claimed the lives of more than 11 300 people and infected over 28 500. The disease wrought devastation to families, communities and the health and economic systems of all 3 countries.

     来源:世界卫生组织

     主编微信:healthedit,欢迎志同道合的公卫人与有意合作的伙伴添加交流!

    

    

    

    http://www.duyihua.cn
返回 公共卫生与预防医学 返回首页 返回百拇医药