.png)
Ebola Response
Following the spread of Ebola in West and Central Africa
An Ebola outbreak was declared on February 2021 in Guinea and Democratic Republic of the Congo. National governments, WHO, Africa CDC and international and local NGOs worked at containing the spread of the EVD outbreak.
WHAT WE DO
​
With our Covid-19 Data Project, we saw a growing interest for data in humanitarian emergencies. Indeed, data allows a better understanding of complex situations and the monitoring of the spread of viruses on both national and subnational levels.
Our goal is to support African governments, NGOs and research institutes develop contingency measures to contain the spread of Ebola as well as preparing for future waves or future epidemics. We work to support anticipatory action and early warning systems within the humanitarian sector.
We have created four datasets to follow the spread of Ebola in DRC and Guinea, available on HDX.
60 downloads were recorded in one day for our Guinea Ebola dataset, showing how important data is for local and international organizations. We have focused on disaggregated data while also keeping an eye on data protection and personal information. Knowing where the virus is spreading allows NGOs to target specific regions or localities and to offer a more appropriate response to local communities.
A reminder :
The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a dangerous hemorrhagic fever virus which causes internal bleeding, inflammation and tissue damage with symptoms of diarrhea, bleeding or intense fever. The disease which was first detected in Africa in 1976 has a high fatality rate (around 50%).
In West Africa, between 2013 and 2016 the virus was detected in Guinea, Guéckédou (Nzérékoré province). It then spread rapidly to Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as to the United States of America and Europe, which led the World Health Organization into declaring it a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) in August 2014. The cumulative cases of Ebola in 2016 were 28.000 with 11.000 deaths (40 % fatality rate).
Since 2018, DRC is struggling to eradicate the Ebola epidemic as repeated waves have been registered in North Kivu. In 2019, the epidemic was declared a PHEIC by the WHO. In June 2020, the oubtreak was officialy declared over with 3.470 reported cases and 2.280 deaths (65 % fatality rate). However, Ebola reappared in February near Butembo, North Kivu with 4 cases registered and 2 deaths as of 16 February 2021.