Weekly Epidemiological Report

September 2019 Week 35

Editoral

4th Annual NCDC/ NFELTP Scientific Conference- Applied Epidemiology: Providing Evidence for Public Health Action

Posted: 28-09-2019 11:33:00 AM

The Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP) was established in 2008, with support from the US-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC). Since 2008, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the African Field Epidemiology Network have worked closely to strengthen the programme.

For the last four years, NCDC and NFELTP have held an annual scientific conference. This year is the first conference since the passage of the NCDC Act, giving the agency the full mandate to lead the implementation of NFELTP.

The 2019 conference which took place in Abuja from 10th -11th September, 2019 had over 600 delegates including field epidemiologists, researchers, scholars, academia, public health physicians, surveillance officers, public health laboratory scientists etc. from within and outside Nigeria.

In addition to the opportunity to hear from NFELTP residents, graduates and NCDC staff, the conference had eight keynote speakers who provided insights on topics ranging from social media for health emergencies to strategies to save one billion lives from non-communicable diseases and several others. For further information on speakers and their topics, see link here.

In his opening remarks, the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora said ‘I am proud of our field epidemiology programme, now in its 11th year, with over 300

graduates. The Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has shown great leadership and commitment towards a sustainable training programme, led by the country’.

In addition to building the field epidemiology capacity of a critical mass of professionals across medical, veterinary and laboratory fields, the programme has supported national response to outbreaks of epidemic prone diseases through timely deployment of trained field epidemiologists.


Summary of Incidents

Ongoing Incidents are defined as confirmed cases where a national EOC or equivalent has been activated

Other incidents are those confirmed cases for which EOC is not activated

Notes

1. Information for this disease was retrieved from the Technical Working Group and Situation Reports

2. Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for this disease is reported for confirmed cases only

3. Information for this disease was retrieved from IDSR 002 data

4. CFR for this disease is reported for total cases i.e. suspected + confirmed

5. Information for sentinel influenza was retrieved from the laboratory


Lassa Fever

Key points

• There were 73 suspected cases of Lassa Fever (LF) reported from 15 LGAs in 10 states (Edo – 36, Ondo – 13, Ebonyi – 3, Bauchi – 2, Plateau - 1, Kaduna – 2, Benue – 1, Delta – 1, Lagos – 12 & Abia - 2). There were 14 confirmed cases withtwo deaths recorded

Actions

To date:

• National LF multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to coordinate the response activities at all levels

• Implementation of targeted risk communication and enhanced surveillance activities in affected states

Planned:

• Conduct a National After Action Review (AAR) retreat from the 18th - 20th September 2019

• Conduct a meeting to finalise the LF psychosocial guideline in October, 2019

• Review LF case management and surveillance tools and standard operating procedures in October 2019


Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)

Key points

• There were 16 suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis reported from six LGAs in four states (Cross River - 4, Katsina – 9, Kebbi – 1 & Yobe - 2). None was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• The National CSM TWG meets weekly to review reports from states and plan appropriately

Planned:

• Conduct After Action Review

• Harmonise surveillance and laboratory data

• Conduct case and data management training in Sokoto state from 26th – 28th September, 2019


Yellow Fever

Key points

There were 44 suspected cases of Yellow Fever reported from 34 LGAs in 13 states. There was no confirmed case and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• The multiagency YF TWG is coordinating national response activities

• The Ebonyi and Katsina states Incident Coordination Centres are leading the outbreak investigation with support from the National team (NCDC) and WHO

• A Rapid response team (RRT) deployed to Bauchi state to assess the outbreak

• Reactive mass vaccination campaign is on-going in three LGAs in Ebonyi state

• National RRT supporting ongoing reactive vaccination in Alkaleri LGA in Bauchi state

• NCDC National Reference Laboratory now has the capacity to confirm YF cases with Polymerase Chain Reaction

Planned:

• Continue off-site and on-site support to affected states

• Follow up with ICG request for the vaccination of other affected states

• Scale up risk communication activities, advisories and press release on YF outbreak


Cholera

Key points

There were 33 suspected cases of Cholera reported from five LGAs in two states (Adamawa – 24, Borno - 9). There were 11 laboratory confirmed cases and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• The national Cholera TWG continues to coordinate activities in states in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) and support from partners

• Adamawa state EOC continues to coordinate response with support from partners

Planned:

• Engage private facilities on case management and reporting

• Conduct AAR from 26th - 27th of September, 2019

• Follow up with states with active outbreak and monitor non-reporting states


Measles

Key points

• There were 307 suspected cases of Measles reported from 123 LGAs in 27 States and FCT. None was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• The multi-agency National Measles TWG is monitoring and coordinating response activities across the states

• The TWG is working closely with NPHCDA towards Measles Supplemental Immunization Activity in Nigeria

• Conducted measles guideline review meeting

Planned:

• Continue review of measles surveillance data across the country


Monkeypox

Key points

• There were two suspected cases of Monkeypox reported this week in Lagos and Rivers states. There was one confirmed case (Lagos) and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• The Monkeypox TWG is monitoring and coordinating response activities across the states

• Surveillance has been enhanced in all affected states

• Offsite support given to affected states

Planned:

• Visit to non-reporting states in North-Central, South-East, South-West and South-South zones

• Conduct regional Monkeypox surveillance training in South-East and South-South zone in September, 2019


Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)

Key points

• In the reporting week, 74 suspected cases of AFP were reported from 66 LGAs in 25 states and FCT


National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance

Key points

• There was a positive case of Influenza subtype A&B (0.3%)

• The subtypes A seasonal H3 and A/not subtyped account for 43(87.8%) and 6(12.2%) of the total influenza A positive sample respectively

• The B Not subtyped account for 3(100%) of the total influenza B positive sample


Timeliness and Completeness of Reports


Timeliness and Completeness of Reports by State

Highlight of the week

  • Summary of Incidents
  • Lassa Fever
  • Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)
  • Yellow Fever
  • Cholera
  • Measles
  • Monkeypox
  • Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)
  • National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports by State

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