2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

Outbreak Resources

What's New

August 28, 2014: HAN 368: CDC Ebola Response Update #4
Updated August 28, 2014: Questions and Answers on Ebola
August 26, 2014: Infographic: What is Contact Tracing?[PDF - 1 page]
Updated August 26, 2014: Interim Guidance for Specimen Collection, Transport, Testing, and Submission for Persons Under Investigation for Ebola Virus Disease in the United States
August 26, 2014: Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for Management of Patients with Known or Suspected Ebola Virus Disease in the United States
August 25, 2014: Guidance for Safe Handling of Human Remains of Ebola Patients in U. S. Hospitals and Mortuaries

Highlights

The 2014 Ebola outbreak is one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history and the first in West Africa. It is affecting four countries in West Africa: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, but does not pose a significant risk to the U.S. public. CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization, and other domestic and international partners in an international response to the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help coordinate technical assistance and control activities with partners. CDC has deployed several teams of public health experts to the West Africa region and plans to send additional public health experts to the affected countries to expand current response activities.

As of August 26, 2014

The Guinean Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia, and the Nigerian Ministry of Health are working with national and international partners to investigate and respond to the outbreak.

Guinea

The Guinea Ministry of Health announced 648 suspect and confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 482 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 430 deaths.
Affected districts include Conakry, Guéckédou, Macenta, Kissidougou, Dabola, Djingaraye, Télimélé, Boffa, Kouroussa, Dubreka, Fria, Siguiri, Pita, Nzerekore, and Yamou; several are no longer active areas of EVD transmission (see map).

Liberia

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia and WHO have reported 1378 suspect and confirmed EVD cases, including 322 laboratory-confirmed, and 694 deaths.

Nigeria

The Nigerian Ministry of Health and WHO reported 17 suspect and confirmed cases, including 13 laboratory-confirmed, and 6 deaths.

Sierra Leone

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone and WHO reported a cumulative total of 1026 suspect and confirmed cases, including 935 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 422 deaths.
Cases have been confirmed in 11 of 12 Sierra Leone districts.

About the virus

Genetic analysis of the virus in this outbreak indicates that it is closely related (97% identical) to variants of Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus) identified earlier in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon (Baize et al. 2014 ).

See the full outbreak update below »

West Africa Outbreak Infographic[PDF - 1 page]

Case Counts *

* Case counts updated in conjunction with the World Health Organization updates

Total Cases

Updated: August 28, 2014

Suspected and Confirmed Case Count: 3069
Suspected Case Deaths: 1552
Laboratory Confirmed Cases: 1752

Cases by Country

Guinea

Suspected and Confirmed Case Count: 648
Suspected Case Deaths: 430
Laboratory Confirmed Cases: 482

Liberia

Suspected and Confirmed Case Count: 1378
Suspected Case Deaths: 694
Laboratory Confirmed Cases: 322

Nigeria

Suspected and Confirmed Case Count: 17
Suspected and Confirmed Case Deaths: 6
Laboratory Confirmed Cases: 13

Sierra Leone

Suspected and Confirmed Case Count: 1026
Suspected and Confirmed Case Deaths: 422
Laboratory Confirmed Cases: 935

Distribution map showing districts and cities reporting suspect cases of Ebola

CLICK MAP TO VIEW LARGER VERSION.

August 28, 2014

Outbreak Update - As of August 26, 2014

The World Health Organization, in partnership with the Ministries of Health in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria reported 3069 suspect and confirmed cases of EVD, including 1752 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 1552 deaths.

In Guinea, 648 cases of EVD, including 482 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 430 deaths were reported by the Ministry of Health of Guinea and WHO. Active surveillance continues in Conakry, Guéckédou, Dubreka, Pita, Siguiri, Kourourssa, Macenta, Yamou, and Nzerekore Districts.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia and WHO reported 1378 clinical cases of EVD, including 322 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 694 deaths. Suspect and confirmed cases have been reported in 13 of 15 Counties. Laboratory testing is being conducted in Monrovia.

In Nigeria, WHO and the Nigerian Ministry of Health reported 17 suspect cases, including 13 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 6 deaths.

In Sierra Leone, WHO and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone reported 1026 suspect and confirmed cases of EVD, including 935 laboratory-confirmed cases, 422 deaths. Reports, investigations, and testing of suspect cases continue across the country.

CDC is in regular communication with all of the Ministries of Health (MOH), WHO, MSF, and other partners regarding the outbreak. Currently CDC has personnel in all four countries assisting the respective MOHs and the WHO-led international response to this Ebola outbreak.

Based on reports from the Ministry of Heath of Guinea, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia, the Ministry of Health of Nigeria, and WHO 28 August 2014

Previous Outbreak Updates (August 2014)

August 22, 2014 expanded

Outbreak Update - As of August 20, 2014

The World Health Organization, in partnership with the Ministries of Health in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria reported 2615 suspect and confirmed cases of EVD, including 1528 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 1427 deaths.

In Guinea, 607 cases of EVD, including 443 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 406 deaths were reported by the Ministry of Health of Guinea and WHO. Active surveillance continues in Conakry, Guéckédou, Dubreka, Pita, Siguiri, Kourourssa, Macenta, Yamou, and Nzerekore Districts.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia and WHO reported 1082 clinical cases of EVD, including 269 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 624 deaths. Suspect and confirmed cases have been reported in 11 of 15 Counties. Laboratory testing is being conducted in Monrovia.

In Nigeria, WHO and the Nigerian Ministry of Health reported 16 suspect cases, including 12 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 5 deaths.

In Sierra Leone, WHO and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone reported 910 suspect and confirmed cases of EVD, including 804 laboratory-confirmed cases, 392 deaths. All districts are now reporting clinical patients with EVD. Reports, investigations, and testing of suspect cases continue across the country.