Posted on 04/28/2005 11:10:52 AM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
BATA, Equatorial Guinea -- The Minister of Health in Equatorial Guinea has issued an alert about the deadly Ebola virus after a man with symptoms of the disease died last week.
The Web site Afriquecentrale.info reported the alert was read on national radio. The minister advised any patient with symptoms of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, including a high fever and bleeding from the mouth, ears, nose or eyes, should be treated at a health facility.
Ebola is one of the most deadly viral diseases known, killing 50 percent to 90 percent of those who become infected. It generally is spread by contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals, but the handling of infected chimpanzees also can transmit it.
The alert recommended dead individuals who had Ebola symptoms should be buried to prevent the virus from spreading.
Neighboring country Gabon has had Ebola outbreaks several times in recent years.
Angola currently is battling an outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever, which is caused by a virus closely related to Ebola.
CSG
Geez...these outbreaks are getting rediculous...
The signs and symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fevers are non specific. Other diseases can present themselves the same way. You need a laboratory to make a specific diagnosis. Geography may give you a hint.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Forgot to add this...It's happening along the west coast of africa working it's way north...Angola, Gabon, & Equitorial Guinea..
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/africana/map/
Probably show up in Republic of the Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon Next...
Tinfoil hat time
...someones deliberately moving it North...
Promedmail has a report today that this is NOT an Ebola outbreak, it is a training exercise that was misinterpreted and reported as real.
Training exercise? I don't know if I believe that, but it could be true...
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