Weekly releases (1997–2007) - Volume 6, Issue 1, 03 January 2002

As of 1 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 32 cases of Ebola haemorrhagic fever, including 23 deaths, in Gabon and the Republic of the Congo (1). Fifteen cases have been laboratory confirmed, and 17 have been linked epidemiologically. Twenty of the cases were detected in Gabon and 12 in the neighbouring villages of the Republic of Congo. An additional seven suspected cases in Gabon and two suspected cases in the Republic of Congo are under investigation.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has published a report containing revised guidelines for HIV counselling, testing, and referral (CTR), and revised recommendations for HIV screening of pregnant women (1). The CTR guidelines replace the existing 1994 guidelines (2) and contain recommendations for policy-makers and service providers of HIV CTR. The revised recommendations for HIV screening for pregnant women replace the 1995 guidelines (3). The revision was prompted by recent advances in both HIV CTR and HIV treatment and prevention and clinical advances in preventing perinatally acquired HIV.