Disease

Hepatitis A outbreak grows in Hawaii

The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) reported an additional 33 hepatitis A cases in the past week, bringing the outbreak total to 168, prompting state health officials to enlist the help from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Chikungunya in Kenya

On 28 May 2016, the Ministry of Health of Kenya notified WHO of an outbreak of Chikungunya in Mandera East sub-county. The first reports of an increase in cases with febrile illness and joint pains occurred in May 2016. Samples were collected and shipped to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Arboviral Laboratory in Nairobi. On 16 May, KEMRI laboratory confirmed 7 of the 10 samples tested positive for Chikungunya virus.

To date, KEMRI has received a total of 177 samples of suspected cases in the laboratory for testing. Of these, 53 of these came from Somalia and rest from Mandera. 57 were positive by IgM antibody testing and 38 were positive for CHIK virus by RT-PCR.

As of 30 June 2016, 1,792 cases had been line listed. No deaths have been reported so far. However there is a risk of underreporting of cases since many patients are not reporting to health facilities.