Disease

Yellow Fever - Republic of Congo

Following the confirmation of a case of yellow fever in Bissongo, an investigation was conducted in the affected area. A retrospective search in 16 health centre registers in Pointe-Noire found 69 additional suspected cases during 2018 which meet the clinical case definition for yellow fever. A yellow fever outbreak was declared on 22 August 2018.

Cholera - Ethiopia

A cholera outbreak in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has reportedly been blamed on holy water, after at least 10 people died over the past two weeks, while more than 1 200 people have contracted the disease.

The authorities have identified contaminated holy water in some of the region's monasteries as being behind the outbreak. It is believed that the water is being taken from rivers that carry the disease. Interfering in religious affairs is a very sensitive matter in the region, but the local government is working with religious leaders to temporarily stop the use of holy water, said the report.