Skal vi tenke grønt eller profitt – PET-plastflasker eller glassflasker?

Det er noe som er fjernt for meg og som virker helt håpløst. Jeg er litt oppgitt at folk ikke tenker i disse baner. Det har nok noe med at jeg jobbet i bransjen i 8 år i den lange studietiden min og opplevde forandringene, og samtidig så hva som skjedde med bryggeri-bransjen. Fordi dette omhandler hele Nærings- og Nytelsesmiddel Industrien. Ikke minst handler om hvordan tanker vi har om emballasjen på det vi kjøper generelt.

Dette handler om vi vil minske forbruket eller om vi godta slik det er idag. Dette handler om å tenke seg om, eller godta styringen fra bransjen. Om man vil bli styrt, siden vi har ikke alternativer per dags dato. Vi si at dette omhandler ikke vårt pante-system. Siden dette fungerer allerede kjempe bra og der mesteparten blir levert tilbake. Dette handler ikke om designer glass-flaskene, selv om jeg synes også de er ubrukelig på sett- og vis. Siden de brukes en gang, før de på nytt må knuses og smeltes for å brukes på nytt til noe helt annet. Det er også unødvendig bruk av våre ressurer. Selv om det er også god butikk for bransjen.

Det store problemet jeg har vår bruk av PET-Plasten. Ikke bare at det er en rimelig og enkel løsning for bransjen. Den sikrer tapping og gjør at flaskene er perfekte stort sett hele tiden. Siden de er klare på linjen og ikke har skader. Siden de kommer som små kuler som blir oppblåst før tapping. De er ikke som hardplast flaskene som ble sortert og vasket. Derfor blir pantente flaskene fra PET-Flaskene levert tilbake og knust, deretter brukt til andre ting. Nødvendigvis ikke flasker. Så plasten som er igjen ender i Fleecegenser eller noe annet. De gamle flaskene hadde et lengre liv, de ble brukt flere ganger.

I 2017 var en artikkel i NRK at bare 10% av dagens flasker ble brukt på nytt. Dette må være på grunn av bruken PET-Plast, istedenfor gamle hard-plasten og engangsflaskene (designer glassflaskene). Alle disse blir bare brukt en gang, før de blir destruert og brukt til andre ting.

Dette burde være noe vi tenker. Spesielt i en tid vi skal prøve å være grønne. Ta et tak være smarte, kjøpe uten å bruke plast-poser, ikke plast poser til frukten og annet som vi kan unngå. Derfor, burde vi prøve å bruke andre løsninger i emballasjen til våre drikkevarer. Det har vært tidligere storflasker på 1 liter glass i brus. Det betyr på nytt igjen store investeringer i bryggeriene, slik at de kan tappe slikt. Det vet jeg og jeg vet at omlegging av drift er kostbart. Dette vil også innebærer andre maskiner. Som er tilpasset, med andre typer tappelinjer og slikt. Men slik omstilling er bransjen vært nødt til allerede, med PET-Flasker og aluminiumsbokser.

Derfor burde vi prøve å finne løsninger for å få drikkevarene på mer miljøvennlige emballasje, slik at vårt forbruk ikke skader naturen til de grader de gjør idag. Å folk tenker ikke på dette. Det er akkurat som det er en ikke sak. Jeg er imponert. At man ikke kunne tenke seg andre metoder og andre emballasjer som kunne både være miljøvennlig og også kunne takle tapping på bryggeriene. Dette brude være flere typer glass, både i størrelse og flerbruks. Da måtte man legge opp tapping og også lage nye standard for bruskassene. Men dette har de gjort før.

Det handler bare om at det er rimeligere for bransjen å holde på med PET, den er kjapp enkel og rimelig. Men ikke miljøvennlig, det har heller ikke vært viktig. Det som har vært viktig er profitt.

Burde kanskje bli det om vi virkelig bryr oss om vårt plastforbruk og her har vi en mulighet til å ta kloke valg. Dette om vi skal tenke grønt eller profitt, om vi skal gå for grønne løsninger eller forsette å misbruke ressurene våre. Peace.

UNHCR suspends resettlement programme from Sudan as fraud probe gathers steam (17.05.2018)

KHARTOUM, Sudan – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is temporarily suspending its refugee resettlement programme from Sudan in connection with two ongoing investigations launched in February and March by the organization’s independent Inspector General’s Office.

A separate anti-fraud and integrity support mission is expected to deploy shortly.

“At present we are still dealing with allegations, based on reports that have come from refugees. Nonetheless these are worrying and the integrity of the Sudan resettlement programme has to be assured beyond any doubt,” said UNHCR Representative for Sudan Noriko Yoshida. “Should wrongdoing be confirmed, those responsible can expect the consequences to be severe.”

Resettlement is one of the three main solutions for refugees and applies to vulnerable people for whom there is no possibility of either voluntary return or local integration. As such, it is a vital lifeline.

UNHCR encourages anyone with information about suspected fraud or other wrongdoing to contact its Inspector General’s Office without delay on http://www.unhcr.org/inspector-generals-office.html. UNHCR never charges fees to help refugees or others under its duty of care.

Opinion: Nkurunziza’s Life-Presidency Projects starts today!

If you ever where thinking that the Presidency of Pierre Nkurunziza was for the betterment of the Burundian people, you we’re terribly wrong. Now after the third term that he took for himself, counting the Arusha Peace Agreement and the Constitution. Today, the Imbonerakure and the army to intimidate and spread fear. To get the people to show up in masses to vote in favor of the President. This has been shown all over Burundi. That is the reason why the VOA and BBC was suspended during the campaigning and the referendum. The government didn’t want this out.

This is a government that want only the perfect news out. The CNDD-FDD don’t want the reality out. They want to look like perfect, like everyone is behind the President and his party. The whole state is eaten by the CNDD-FDD, the state is run by them and they are using the Imbonerakure, whose are more important than ever. They have gotten a bigger space in the Republic after the protest of 2015. When the people flee and more of the opposition leaders, and former leaders has been killed. If not like there are so many people whose been detained because they we’re against the referendum now.

This Referendum of 2018 isn’t to change the Constitution for the people, this is to sign off more terms for Nkurunziza and make it easier for him to rig the next elections. All of this is to secure him and his place. Make him the king and the rest is his peasants.

That is why this is the nail in coffin for the ideals of the Arusha Agreement of 2000 and the Constitution of 2005. Also, now after this the idea of continuing the East African Community mediation effort of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and H.E. Benjamin Mpaka. They should just give it up and stop it. The Inter-Burundian Dialogue has been flawed and controlled by the state, therefore, they have picked the times and stakeholders. It is just as they have been just buying time for Nkurunziza to change the Constitution in his favor. That is what is happening now. By any means necessary.

Nkurunziza are planning to rule for life, leave a legacy of blood and oppression. Pierre wants to be remembered for the toils and tyranny against his own citizens. That he did so to gain his own wealth, misuse public resource and create scarcity. You know that there is a dark side to the referendum, other than creating more terms for the President. Who already had the Constitutional Court in 2015, make a ruling in his favor, in such a way that he could run on the third term, when the President only could run twice. So laws hasn’t mattered to him in the past, so they will not now.

The Burundian population is his personal pawns, they are the ones that can be used and he can profit on. The people are the ones he needs to get personal profits, but not better their lives. Nkurunziza is now a soon a tyrant for life. He is not planning on leaving office. Pierre is planning to stay for life, use all tricks and consolidate all power within him. So that the everyone has to wait for his decrees and decisions.

Today, is just signifying it. All the way through the campaign period, that has campaigned for “no” to the referendum. They have been detained and harassed by Imbonerakura, this has been reported from districts all over the Republic. So it is not like the President hasn’t shown democratic values, but neither is this revision of the Constitution. It is made to secure him and seal his fate.

This is the end of the Arusha Agreement, the final nail in the coffin of the Inter-Burundian Dialogue. Why discuss peaceful transition and balance of power, when the President is taking it all already? There is nothing to give to the other parties and the real opposition to the President. The ones that are still alive is outside and in exile. That is because of the fear of the state, that has assassinated plenty of the opposition leaders and opposition activists in the Republic.

So a man that uses death and detaining of the opponents. Are not having political discourse and having consensus with all political stakeholders. That is a tyrant steering the wheel and deciding the path for everyone. Everyone just has to blindly follow and not questioning him. They have to stand on guard and be poetic about it.

That is why the Referendum of 2018 appearing. President Nkurunziza isn’t planning to send doves, to create a paradise, than he would believe in accountability, transparency and taxation with representation. It is not force-fed public, with a government forced in their face and they have to obey. There no other rule of law, and the state can even get rid of you if your speaking up against them. Nothing will be left behind, nothing will be left without touched and if you oppose them, expect to stop breathing or having a heartbeat.

That is what the Nkurunziza does and if people forget that, then they forget the reality of what he does. Peace.

Burundi: Communique du FNL Relatif au Vote de ce 17 Mai 2018 (17.05.2018)

Kenyatta’s Cybercrimes Act is a crackdown on all content online!

During this week, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2018, meaning this is becoming actual law, that all citizens of Kenya has to comply to. As this is the legal framework and provisions, that can incriminate or be used against the citizens. They are really prepared to assault the digital world and the ones putting content online.

Two of these provisions, which is really cracking down on the online content is article 22 & 23:

22:“A person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with intent that the data shall be considered or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five millions shillings or to imprisionment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both”.

23: “A person who knowingly publishes information that is false in print, broadcast, data, or over a computer system, that is calculated or results in a panic, chaos, or violence among citizens of the Republic, or which is likely to discredit the reputation of a person commits an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five millions shillings or to imprisionment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both”.

This is clearly attacking and if they finds something as fake, they can make the people liable and criminal. While the Jubilee party and President signed this off, their own party should be careful signing this off. As they have worked with Cambridge Analytica and Harris Media, created fake news and also spread wrongful deceitful messaging online. This has been deliberate by them during the General Election of 2017, as well as the Jubilee has spread fictitious promises. Just like the fantastic trains and massive stadiums. Therefore, Kenyatta should know better.

They will use this law to go against the likes of Cyprian Nyakundi and others. The ones like the Elephant and others. Who are not spreading the message of the state, but are questioning their powers. Kenyatta knows this, even his own Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU), who spread the news of an honorary title from the UNICEF to Kenyatta. Which was false, I even got caught in the hype. I know I did, because it seemed like possible, as a month before the WHO gave a Mugabe a title too. Therefore, I got pissed and felt it was unfair to give a title for championing youths, when he destroyed the lives of plenty with the crackdown on protests during the elections.

Therefore, this sort of bill should make sure the PSCU also get arrested on their malicious content and propaganda. Even the planned messages from the team around the President should be spotless, however, the PSCU isn’t. They should have been, since the President has sanctioned these provisions. Why I am concerned, as they are putting restrictions on others, but the Social Media program of the state itself has been questionable and attacked the public itself.

We now can see what the state wants to do to its own citizens, as the are getting stronger provisions to follow and to track, in the end also making their content illegal. This is not just for safety, because these sorts of laws can be used against whistleblowers, and even the ones who drops data online on frauds and such. Since its damaging for the government, this might be a criminal offense for some.

What is the definition of a panic? Is it that Kenyatta cannot stomach a beer? Is it that DP Ruto don’t get a handshake? What is the stakes? Because the provisions that matters for most of the citizens are vague, meaning it depends on the interpretation of the officers and judges. That is not a good signal, that is a bad one, however, doubt the PSCU will get into trouble. More like bloggers, writers and television journalists that suddenly will be detained, because Kenyatta didn’t like what they said, wrote or broadcast. Peace.

United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) boosts protection for civilians targeted by warring parties in Unity (17.05.2018)

Congestion at the site is creating huge challenges for humanitarian agencies who are returning to the area to respond to the urgent need to supply food, clean water and medical services for the displaced families.

JUBA, South Sudan, May 17, 2018 –  Up to 150 peacekeepers are being rapidly redeployed to the Unity region to boost the UN Mission’s efforts to protect civilians being deliberately targeted by warring parties.

“What we are witnessing on the ground is the deliberate killing of civilians as well as the sexual violation and abduction of women and children. Homes and livelihoods are being systematically destroyed in a way that prevents families returning to their homes and being able to support themselves,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer.

“Our fresh deployment will enable peacekeeping troops to patrol deeper to reach remote villages where the worst atrocities are taking place to create a protective presence and deter further fighting. It will also support the reinforcement of our base at Leer where many civilians are seeking sanctuary,” said David Shearer.

Thousands of civilians are fleeing the intense fighting as armed forces make their way down from Koch towards Leer. At least 30 villages or settlements have been attacked. UNMISS peacekeepers and human rights teams have witnessed the bodies of civilians killed during the fighting left unburied, dozens of huts burnt to the ground, cattle raiding and the destruction of critical services such as boreholes, medical clinics and food stores.

“The atrocities that we are documenting are a clear violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. Two aid workers have been killed and two wounded in the past month. Those responsible must be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said David Shearer.

A site next to the UN base at Leer previously held approximately 500 internally displaced people but the surge in violent clashes has increased numbers to about 2000. Almost 70 per cent of those seeking shelter are children.

Congestion at the site is creating huge challenges for humanitarian agencies who are returning to the area to respond to the urgent need to supply food, clean water and medical services for the displaced families. UNMISS is working closely with the agencies to support the safe delivery of aid.

The Mission continues to engage with local authorities and to urge the warring parties to stop the fighting and adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed by all parties just five months ago.

MISA Zimbabwe letter to Chairperson Chigumba of ZEC: “Re: Political Parties Access to Zimbabwe Broadcasting Company” (16.05.2018)

Russian Probe/Skeet Skeet Skeet Part 10: Revealed info from Senate Report and Interviews!

If you could read, you knew shit.”Michael Moore

Yesterday, was an assault of information released concerning the Trump Tower Meeting the 9th June 2016, the infamous meeting about adoption, even if the Trump’s oldest son was awaiting information of conspiring dirt on Hillary Clinton, which they had to get. Since Trump later did proclaim that he would hold a Press Conference, where all information would be released. Therefore, the information coming out within the last 48 hours been much. I will give the gist that is important.

Because during the same time, there was another of these Financial Disclosures forms made by the President. This is significant, but also showing how blatantly distrustful we can be about them. Becuase suddenly there are omitted loans and funds connected to Trump’s Personal Lawyer Michael Cohen, they we’re not admitted on the 2015, 2016 or 2017, but suddenly added on the 2018. Therefore, the reasons for the IRS Tax Returns, because the OGE Financial Disclosures are just calculated to blow up the image and keep the rest at bay. That is evident since they are released now and not during the campaigns and neither in the first of the Presidency. Your naive if your thinking differently.

However, that is just the skeet skeet skeet, that follows this administration, because the President is not known for keeping his pinky in his pants. But there are bigger fishes to fry, than his infidelity. President Trump and his campaign has had so many connections and so many meetings with Russians, that it is hard to keep up. That even as the documents were released yesterday, the realization, that the final say will be what the Special Counsel Robert Mueller Indicts and Charges. As he has already charged plenty, 3 companies, and has 3 plea agreements. Therefore, the case is moving and the reality should hit the White House. As Paul Manafort case is moving on and will be put on trial. While Trump connected lawyer Alexander Van Der Zvaan is already behind bars. While Robert Gates, George Papadopolous and Michael Flynn is already working with the FBI. So the initial information will be there, with tiem and within the court documents.

So, whatever that was revealed yesterday through the interviews are vital, but they are also a side-show. To the narrative and case-building of Mueller. What was important from the Senate yesterday is this: ““Despite the short time frame they had to prepare it, the intelligence community did a very good job with the ICA,” said Vice Chairman Warner. “After a thorough review, our staff concluded that the ICA conclusions were accurate and on point. The Russian effort was extensive, sophisticated, and ordered by President Putin himself for the purpose of helping Donald Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. In order to protect our democracy from future threats, we must understand what happened in 2016. And while our Committee’s investigation remains ongoing, one thing is already abundantly clear – we have to do a better job in the future if we want to protect our elections from foreign interference.” (Richard Burr – ‘Senate Intel Completes Review of Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian Activities in the 2016 U.S. Elections’ 16.05.2018).

So the Republicans and Democrats in the Senate Intel Committee are directly saying it and countering the Devin Nunes inspired forged investigation in the House Intelligence Report, that came not to long ago. This is really showing how partisan and how far-fetched from reality the House Republicans are at this point. They are clearly obstructing the investigation and the possible breaches are damning. That the Republicans in the House are working in accord with the White House, while the Senate has been more independent. That is why they conclude in a different manner.

Like this part from the interviews released yesterday, Glenn Simpson Interview on the 22nd August 2017:

In the early the very first weekend that I started boning up on Donald Trump, you know, I found various references to him having connections to Italian organized crime and later to a Russian organized crime figure named Felix Sater” (…) “I understand it, is that the Trump people were eager to accept intelligence from a foreign government about their political rivals and that is, you know, I would say, a form of interference. If you’re getting help from a foreign government and your help is intelligence, then the foreign government’s interfering. I mean, you know, I think that also of course, in retrospect we now know this was pretty right on target in terms on what it says” (…) “The alleged incident that’s described here is the one that he was referring to. As I say, I don’t have really any additional information beyond this except that — I mean, it’s probably in here somewhere actually, but it’s well known in intelligence circles that the Russians have cameras in all the luxury hotel rooms and there are memoirs written about this by former Russian intelligence agents I could quote you. So the problem of kompromat and kompromating is just endemic to east-west intelligence work”.

That is just Glenn Simpson from the Fusion GPS, the ones who hired Christopher Steele, who made the Golden Showers dossier. That has within Memo’s from Comey, shown how obsessed Trump has been about this. The reality, is with time less and less is questionable about the affairs and possible intelligence in the report, because the passages has been verified. That shows the bleak reality of it all.

What was vital from Donald J. Trump Junior, was that he had during his interview, the same defense line like Jeff Sessions, he couldn’t remember if he was eating, sleeping or screwing someone. Because he couldn’t remember anything. It is like he needs to get his mind checked and get his memory tested at a hospital, because no one with a working mind forgets these details. Your not clean slate and stupid. Pardon me, but I don’t believe a calculating man like Junior to be that.

However, that Donald J. Trump Junior said in his interview on the 7th September 2017:

A. Potential information about an opponent. Q. Potential incriminating information on Hillary Clinton? A. Yes . Q. And what about the thing that say s “It is part of Russia and its government’ s support for Mr . Trump,” did you also love that? A. I don’t know. I don’t recall Q. Did you understand that that would be problematic? A. I didn’t think that listening to someone with information relevant to the fitness and character of a presidential candidate would be an isssue, no” (Donald J. Trump Junior, 07.09.2017).

So we can see, how the Trump Campaign was inconsiderate of their role and that Junior himself has no problems with collusion with Russians. As he just wanted to get incriminating information if possible. That the Russians had it, he didn’t mind and therefore, helped setting up the meeting with all the people that June day in 2016.

To follow another interview by the Senate, here is what was a key moment in the Irakly “Ike” Kaveladze interview: “So whoever I just mentioned, obviously all participants of the meeting, and a gentleman named Roman Beniaminov. He worked with Rob Goldstone. I called him on June 7 to should I continue or wait for a question? BY MR.FOSTER: Q. Please, please. A. Okay. And right after I received an ema il from Mr . Goldstone about three individuals we were going to be meeting with, I got a little bit puzzled because at that point o f time, all I knew about the meeting, that it’s going to be Magnitsky Act , and I was unclear why exactly these people are meeting with us. I was in two conversations prior to that with Mr . Agalarov. You know, my suggestion was to meet with attorneys of Mr. Trump because she’s an attorney, Ms.Veselnitskaya, and probably the proper level of communication with her. And so I called Roman because I knew he worked with Rob, and I asked him, ” Do you know anything about that meeting? ” And, “ Do you know anything about the fact that we’re going to be meeting with three top political electoral campaign representatives to discuss Magnitsky Act? ” And at that point of time, Roman told me that, as far as he heard, attorney had some negative information on Hillary Clinton”.

Therefore, the emailing with Trump Junior is verified by Ike and the main agenda, wasn’t the Russian adoption as later professed, but instead get dirt from foreign agents on the Clinton’s. If that shouldn’t be a sign of breach of trust and also foreign intelligence interference in an election. Nothing is, that even Kaveladze is saying. So, the ones inside the Trump Campaign knew this and certainly got enough out of it, to have the famous press conference.

Anatoli Samochornov said this during his interview on the 8th November 2017:

I can ‘t speak for Ms . Veselnitskaya. know that she was expecting something else from the meeting, something bigger. She said, “This was it.” (Anatoli Samochornov, 08.11.2017).

So, there was specific plans for it, but if this trying to cover it up. As the interpreter didn’t recollect more either. There is a collect amnesia in the sense of this meeting and what was discussed, other than the adoption of Russians. Which all seems strange, considering the emails and phone calls before the actually meeting. It is like the participants take the public for fools.

Rinat Akhmetshin interview on the 14th November 2017:

Q. And who led t he meeting? A. Trump, Jr., led the meeting. Q. So how did the meeting start?

A. With small talk. It started with small talk. You know, they invited us. There’ s like little chatter, like, okay, what a beautiful room, what a beautiful view. You know, just — then Ms.Veselnitskaya, prompted by me, congratulated them on this win in the primaries. And then Mr. Trump, Jr., said, ” So I believe you have some information for us.” (Rinat Akhmetshin, 14.11.2017).

Here prove the intent of the Trump Campaign, that one of the people in the room remembers that Junior was ready to continue the pattern from the emails before the setting up of the meeting. If this wasn’t important, if they didn’t have information on the Clinton Campaign, he wouldn’t love it and take it in. That because he wanted dirt and didn’t care if he colluded with a foreign force. He might say he doesn’t recollect, but other ones who was there remember certain aspects, that makes it all questionable.

Robert Goldstone Interview on December 15 2017:

She talked about — I heard her talk I about names Browder, Ziff, and funding t o the DNC. .And I didn’t know of Browder, know of Ziffs. I had obviously heard of the DNC. So it didn’t — I was waiting, if there was some smoking gun, which is why I had been asked to do this, and I thought if t here was, there would be a reaction from somebody around the table. So I was really paying no attention until maybe somebody reacted. After a few minutes o f this labored presentation, Jared Kushner, who is sitting next to me, appeared somewhat agitated by this and said, I really have no idea what you’re talking about. Could you please focus a bit more and maybe just start again? And I recall that she began the presentation exactly where she had begun it last time, almost word f or word, which seemed, by his body language, to infuriate him even more “ (Robert Goldstone, 15.12.2017).

I look forward to the Court Documentation on the Trump Tower meetings and all the other possible places the Russian agents and actors meet with Trump Surrogates and the Trump Campaign. As so many of them has been in connection with them. As well as they hacking the Democratic Party, which they released online to destroy the Clinton Campaign. Which they did with full force. It was interesting leaks, that shown inside works inside an American Campaign and the team of Presidential campaigning, which we haven’t seen before. However, the way of getting that information was illegal and the leaks was done with well-planned machinery in favor of the other candidate. That just happen to be Donald J. Trump. His team was blessing that, and Trump did say, read WikiLeaks on the Campaign trail. So this cannot be forgotten in the big picture.

There are so many Russian connections, so many loose ties to this and hopefully it all we be revealed in the Mueller Probe. That is what I hope for, that he has the financial transaction that Trump has kept from the public. That the probe has the transcripts and the timeline of communications between all the Trump Campaign and Trump Surrogates, even before the meetings of Russians in the time before running as Presidential Candidate and also during. So, that all the ties can be connected and make sense. Which, with all the drip-drops are showing the intent. Now that Kushner got mad is out too. There are really more behind the meeting, than what the Trump Campaign has confessed, they even tried to keep hush about it for long too.

Therefore, when they have kept it as a secret, every single piece along the way, when the Trump Campaign and the Trump Organization haven’t revealed their true status. We know that something is up. Because they cannot be sincere about their holdings, their transactions or their meeting. Which is vital for trust. Nevertheless, hopefully the investigation will show all of it and the drip drops of the activity of the New York Gang will come to the main street and be revealed. Peace.

World Health Organization (WHO) concerned as one Ebola case confirmed in urban area of Democratic Republic of the Congo (17.05.2018)

As of 15 May, a total of 44 Ebola virus disease cases have been reported: 3 confirmed, 20 probable, and 21 suspected.

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 17, 2018 –  One new case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been confirmed in Wangata, one of the three health zones of Mbandaka, a city of nearly 1.2 million people in Equateur Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Ministry of Health of the DRC announced the finding, after laboratory tests conducted by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) confirmed one specimen as positive for EVD.

Until now, all the confirmed Ebola cases were reported from Bikoro health zone, which is also in Equateur Province but at a distance of nearly 150 km from Mbandaka. The health facilities in Bikoro have very limited functionality and the affected areas are difficult to reach, particularly during the current rainy season, as the roads are often impassable.

“This is a concerning development, but we now have better tools than ever before to combat Ebola,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO and our partners are taking decisive action to stop further spread of the virus.”

The World Health Organization is deploying around 30 experts to conduct surveillance in the city and is working with the Ministry of Health and partners to engage with communities on prevention and treatment and the reporting of new cases.

“The arrival of Ebola in an urban area is very concerning and WHO and partners are working together to rapidly scale up the search for all contacts of the confirmed case in the Mbandaka area,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

WHO is also working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other partners to strengthen the capacity of health facilities to treat Ebola patients in special isolation wards.

As of 15 May, a total of 44 Ebola virus disease cases have been reported: 3 confirmed, 20 probable, and 21 suspected.

Somalia: Council of Interstate Coooperation (CIC) – Communique 13-16 May, 2018, Baidoa