Polio in Ghana
On Jan 8, the regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) reported three cases of vaccine-derived polio with two deaths. The first two cases were reported in October and November 2019: a 24-month-old girl from Jaman North District, in the Bono region, and a 33-month-girl from Techiman West municipality in Bono East. The third case was reported in January 2020, a 37-month-old boy from Asutifi South District in Ahafo region, who was paralysed and hospitalised in a critical state. In response, the GHS deployed staff and volunteers to the affected areas to begin polio immunisation on Jan 8.
Measles in DR Congo
The WHO Africa regional office reported 310000 cases of measles in DR Congo, including over 6000 deaths since Jan 2019 as of Jan 8. Despite immunisation campaigns in 2019 reaching over 18 million children, vaccination rates in some areas remain low. In December 2019, WHO trained over 60 health professionals from the Ministry of Health to build further capacity to respond to the outbreak. The training focused on community engagement, health education, and surveillance; the staff were deployed in the week beginning Jan 7.
Amoebic meningoencephalitis in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has reported its second ever case of Naegleria fowleri, a brain infecting amoeba, which causes usually fatal amoebic meningoencephalitis. The case, which was reported on Jan 7, was a 15-year-old boy who was found to have inhaled water whilst visiting thermal springs of Guayabo de Bagaces district. The amoeba is found commonly in lakes, rivers, and ponds. The patient presented with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis and remains hospitalised.
MERS in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates reported a laboratory confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) on Dec 29. The case was a 74-year-old man who owns a camel farm in the city of Al Ain, in the Abu Dhabi region. The man started having symptoms on Dec 8, of a fever, cough, and sore throat. On Dec 10 he was hospitalised, and later transferred to the intensive unit on Dec 16, when he also tested positive. Since 2012, 89 cases of MERS-CoV have been reported in the UAE, including 12 deaths.