CORRECTED COPY: DENQUE EPIDEMIC CONTINUES IN CAPE VERDE

UNCLAS PRAIA 000215 DEPARTMENT FOR MED DAKAR FOR DR. MIRON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI CDC TBIO UN CV SG SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: DENQUE EPIDEMIC CONTINUES IN CAPE VERDE ¶1. Summary. The number of confirmed and suspected cases continues to increase, but the rate of increase has slowed. The Minister of health has informed the diplomatic corps that, in the view of the GoCV, the peak of the epidemic was reached on November 4. However, the views of the World Health Organization rep and the Embassy's contract physician are that the peak have not yet been reached. The Prime Minister has Dengue. Embassy Praia has 13 employees out with Dengue, plus two CMR household staff members. Clean up efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds continue. End summary. ¶2. Dimensions of the Dengue problem. In a meeting on Nov 11, the Minister of Health provided an update on the Dengue epidemic. The Embassy has also received updated information from our local health practitioner. The following details convey the dimensions of the problem: --there are now over 14,000 suspected cases. --there are 3,969 confirmed cases, 110 of which have the Hemorrhagic form of the illness and 3 with "Dengue Shock." --there have been 6 deaths. --seventy percent of those cases are in the capital city of Praia. --the other islands most affected are Fogo, Brava and Maio. --several doctors attending to patients at Praia's public hospital have contracted Dengue, exacerbating the lack of medical personnel resources available to care for victims. ¶3. GOCV Steps taken. In addition to the countrywide clean-up day held on Nov 6, the government has undertaken spraying of homes, schools and other buildings. Because of a concern that the disease is being spread by mosquitoes inside the hospital, spraying of the hospital has also taken place this week. Other steps include extending pharmacy hours until 10pm and establishing a rotating schedule for one pharmacy to remain open 24 hours each day. Sound trucks circulate in the city during the day warning the populace to avoid mosquitoes, and billboards have been put up reminding that mosquito eradication efforts are the responsibility of everyone. The government has prepared a long list of medicines, supplies and equipment that it needs to fight the epidemic. ¶4. Embassy steps taken. We are in daily contact with the UN rep, WHO rep, and host government to receive updated information. We are attempting to identify sources for the requested materials. The embassy will continue on curtailed operating hours (9am - 4pm) for another week at the recommendation of the Embassy physician. We arranged for spraying of our outdoor recreation center, used by both American and FSN staff, to kill mosquito larvae. (The spraying was done by the French military unit brought in from Dakar by the French Embassy in Praia.) Healthy Employees are being encouraged to donate blood to the Hospital's blood bank, which is essentially depleted. We loaned our large tent to the hospital to serve as a waiting room for overflow of patients who do not fit the hospitals normal emergency room. ¶5. Update on malaria. As of today there are 42 confirmed cases of Malaria (the annual average is 100). Two people have died of malaria. ¶6. Future prevention. There is a great deal of concern within both the diplomatic corps and the local community that steps need to be taken asap to establish a plan for dealing with the new dengue wave that would result should there be rain. There has not been rain in Praia for several days and that may be the cause for the GoCV's optimistic view that the epidemic has peaked. There is also considerable concern about a repeat epidemic at the start of next year's rainy season (late July/early August) if aggressive steps are not taken now to kill eggs and larvae. The lack of a response from the Minister of Health served to confirm that the GoCV does not have the capacity to conduct any meaningful planning at this time. ¶7. The Embassy will be transmitting septel a request for emergency relief thru Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). MYLES