Ebola: –The only major change from last week is the number of cases.  Now at 106 confirmed, may be closer to 112 by today.  Bright spots of fairly linear growth in known cases and no spread outside Equateur province remain.   Contact tracing percentages got worse, probably because they do not have enough trained boots …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 10 Sep 2020”

Ebola: –Largely more of the same.  Up to 109 known cases now.  Contact tracing remains inadequate, but they are still attempting ring vaccination of known cases.  Several Ebola treatment centers remain overcapacity, which is probably why multiple cases are still being treated out in the community.  Geographic spread within the affected province of the DRC …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 03 Sep 2020”

The board exam went well–thanks for asking. Ebola: –Up to 98 confirmed cases, but this is likely an undercount.  Most Equateur Province now has at least one case.  Strikes among response workers mean that alerts, sample testing, and case and contact tracing are being under-reported.  Three treatment centers remain over capacity, and at least 7 …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 27 Aug 2020”

Again, will be short-ish since renewing my board certification this year requires passing this test this week. Ebola– Now at 84 confirmed cases with continued geographic spread.  In fun new developments this week, response providers are on strike in three separate towns.  Travel checkpoints have had security issues and difficulty screening all travelers due to …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 20 Aug 2020”

Two updates. 1)  This week’s Thursday night update will be short(er).  I have a mandatory test this week for my “every 10 years” board recertification. 2)  Since it is hitting the headlines today as well, I figured I would send out a quick update on the “game changing” new coronavirus test from Yale, sponsored by …

Continue reading “Brief coronavirus update: 16 Aug 2020”

Ebola: –Now up to 75 total confirmed cases.  This is probably an undercount, as “community resistance” to sampling continues and contact tracing is inadequate.  Vaccination is not happening in effective numbers either.   Still no updates on the possible vaccination failure from a few weeks ago, but it’s not the first case like that to disappear …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 13 Aug 2020”

Ebola–  <sigh>.  We’re up to 69 confirmed cases and continued geographic spread within the Equateur Province of the DRC.  The treatment center in Bikoro is already over capacity.  Only 71% of known high risk contacts have been followed up by the time of WHO’s report this week.  65 known high risk contacts have either never …

Continue reading “Ebola and Coronavirus Update: 06 Aug 2020”

Bubonic plague–  We’ll start with the one with basically no news.  No news is good news.  No reports of additional spread in China/Mongolia, and no reports of successful transmission by way of squirrels and other wildlife in Colorado.  Again, a few cases here and there in either region is to be suspected every year.  Barring …

Continue reading “Ebola, Bubonic Plague and Coronavirus Update 30 Jul 2020”

Ebola–The WHO is late with updates.  From what I can piece together from very limited news coverage, sounds like we are up to 56 confirmed cases.  Hopefully there is more to report next week. Bubonic Plague–  Also very little to report on the plague front.  I can’t find any solid updates on cases in China …

Continue reading “Ebola, Bubonic Plague and Coronavirus Update 23 Jul 2020”

Ebola– We are at 46 confirmed cases, with another health zone and more health areas being affected (so a slightly larger geographic region in the DRC).  Contact tracing remains inadequate.  Several of the confirmed patients remain in the community.  They have lost contact with several high risk close contacts.  The Ebola Treatment Center in Bikoro …

Continue reading “Ebola, bubonic plague and coronavirus update, 16 Jul 2020”