EBOLA/EVD [to 6 December 2014]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); “Threat to international peace and security” (UN Security Council)

Editor’s Note: Last week’s two Ebola/EVD milestones
The first milestone was that UNMEER and WHO leaders reported on progress against the so-called 70-70-60 target announced for December 1. While offering upbeat reports on progress in the three most-affected countries and Mali, officials confirmed that the target would not be fully met, noting continuing data reporting issues and a flare-up of EVD in the western part of Sierra Leone (in particular, see the briefing transcript by WHO ADG Bruce Aylward just below).

For reference, the 70-70-60 target was established as UNMEER was launching operations in early October and was intended to “ensure that by 1 December, 70% of people with Ebola who died of the disease could be buried with a safe and dignified manner that would minimise the risk of spread, and also that 70% of people with the disease could be treated in a manner that would isolate them and prevent further spread of the disease” during the initial 60 days of action.

WHO ADG Bruce Aylward made clear in his press briefing that:
“…The last two big things I think that we’ve learned is, and I want to be absolutely clear on this, is that while there’s been progress towards 70-70, real progress and meaningful progress, this is not good enough to stop Ebola. And probably the single biggest alarming thing that I hear as I work in these countries and speak to people outside is that great, now that we’re on track, because the disease is slowing down with this 70% achievement, to stopping Ebola.

“You’re not on track by getting 70-70-60; you have reached a way, an important milestone along the way. You’ve managed to slow down the outbreak and we’re seeing now in some areas what we call, bend the curve, of the outbreak which of course is very, very important. But that is not going to get you to zero. You eventually have to get 100% safe burials, you eventually have to get 100% of people into treatment facilities and you also have got to complement that with the strategies around case finding and contact tracing. Now that the case numbers have come down enough, that is going to be the big emphasis in those low incidence areas to get this thing finished…

… So as we go forward, right now the key thing is to complete the investment. We’ve got to get to 100% safe burials, 100% isolation and then 100% of cases being found, contacts being traced. That’s how you stop Ebola.”

In reporting on the status of the next milestone goal – 100-100-90 (100% safe burials, 100% effective isolation/contact tracing, by 1 January 2015) – WHO and UNMEER officials largely deferred on assessing the probability of meeting that target or the implications of missing it.

The second milestone was the first significant engagement of the larger economic and social implications of the EVD crisis and a “post-EVD” re-building process. The UN Economic and Social Council sponsored a special meeting titled “Ebola: A threat to sustainable development” on 5 December 2014. This meeting included briefings by UNMEER, WHO, affected countries and other stakeholders, and an extended panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Paul Farmer of PIH (Partners in Health). Video and other content on this meeting is also just below.

Please note that our more extensive coverage of Ebola/EVD activity – including detailed coverage of UNMEER and other INGO/agency activity – will now be available at the end of this digest. Please also note that many of the organizations and journals we cover continue to publish important EVD content which is threaded throughout this edition.

.

WHO – Ebola/EVD Press Conference (Geneva, 1 December 2014)
1 Dec 2014 – Subject: Ebola briefing: WHO response and challenges to control the Ebola outbreak. Speaker: Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General in charge of the operational response WHO response and challenges to control the Ebola outbreak
Speakers: Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General, Polio and Emergencies
:: Video of the press briefing
:: Audio of the press briefing mp3, 49 Mb [01:11:00]
:: Transcript of the press briefing pdf, 236kb

.

UN Economic and Social Council: Special meeting on “Ebola: A threat to sustainable development”
5 December 2014
As the United Nations and the international community step up efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak, the Economic and Social Council is convening a Special Meeting on 5 December 2014 at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss in-depth the economic and social impact of Ebola on the affected countries, the region and the rest of the world identify solutions for a comprehensive and multi-sectoral response.

:: Programme
Following opening statements by the Secretary General, WHO DC, UNMEER leadership, and affected countries, an interactive session of experts discussing the issues above was facilitated by Dr. Paul Farmer, Partners in Health.

:: Concept note
Objectives of the event
The ECOSOC Special Event aims to:
-Provide context on the economic and social impact of Ebola in affected countries, their
neighbours and the rest of the world;
-Situate the Ebola crisis in the context of the global health equity agenda;
-Identify concrete ways to link the current response to longer-term systems strengthening
in all three affected countries;
-Explore specific policy recommendations and mechanisms needed to address the
multidimensional nature of the Ebola outbreak; and
-Propose appropriate, short, medium and long term solutions.
Expected Outcome
The outcome of the event will be a summary by the President of ECOSOC, highlighting the main conclusions and proposals for follow-up actions.

Video Segments – English
–Martin Sajdik (ECOSOC) on Ebola – Pre… 00:17:01
–David Nabarro (UN Special Envoy), Ebo… 00:09:29
–Margaret Chan (WHO), Ebola: A threat… 00:11:52
–Affected Member States Guinea, Sierra… 00:43:26
–Sam Kahamba Kutesa (GA President), Eb… 00:06:23
–Ban Ki-moon, Ebola: A threat to susta… 00:06:21
–Martin Sajdik (ECOSOC), Ebola: A Thre… 00:06:32

5 December 2014
SG/SM/16398-DEV/3156-ECOSOC/6654
Secretary-General Tells Economic and Social Council Ebola’s ‘Hard Lessons’ Show Universal Quality Health Coverage Critical to Post-2015 Development Agenda
Following are UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon’s remarks at the Economic and Social Council meeting on Ebola: a threat to sustainable development, in New York today…

5 December 2014
ECOSOC/6653
Ebola Epidemic Could Drain $3-4 Billion from Sub-Saharan African Economy, Reverse Peacebuilding Gains in Hardest-Hit Nations, Economic and Social Council Told
The deadly Ebola outbreak could inflict $3-4 billion in losses on the Sub-Saharan African economy and had already begun to erode economic growth in the hardest-hit countries, the Economic and Social Council heard today as it considered how the epidemic could endanger sustainable development…
WHO: Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
Situation report – 3 December 2014 [WHO Roadmap]
Summary
A total of 17,145 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in five affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and the United States of America) and three previously affected countries (Nigeria, Senegal and Spain) up to the end of 30 November. There have been 6070 reported deaths. Reported case incidence is slightly increasing in Guinea (77 confirmed cases reported in the week to 30 November), stable or declining in Liberia (43 new confirmed cases in the 5 days to 28 November), and is still rising in Sierra Leone (537 new confirmed cases in the week to 30 November). The case fatality rate across the three most-affected countries in all cases with a recorded definitive outcome is 72%; in hospitalized patients the case fatality rate is 60%….

WHO congratulates Spain on ending Ebola transmission
2 December 2014

WHO’s contribution to the Ebola response – Feature
1 December 2014