Meningitis/unknown disease kills 1,000 in south Sudan outbreak last week

Reuters ^ | 01/21/2007

[DrGunsforHands]

Meningitis outbreak kills 1,000 in south Sudan Sun 21 Jan 2007 7:47 AM ET

JUBA, Sudan, Jan 21 (Reuters) - At least 1,000 people have died in one week in south Sudan's Warap state from meningitis and another unknown disease, state governor Anthony Bol Madut said in a statement sent to Reuters on Sunday.

Emerging from Africa's longest civil war, south Sudan's infrastructure is almost non-existent and outbreaks of disease are frequent. A cholera outbreak last year killed 147 people.

"There is an outbreak of meningitis and (an) unknown disease spreading fast throughout the state and there is fear it may affect other neighbouring states," Madut's statement said.

He said the symptoms of the second disease were similar to yellow fever, but the patient died quickly. He appealed for medical experts to come to diagnose the disease and help stop the spread of the outbreak.

"Up to this time the death toll is over 1,000 this week alone," the statement said. "As I am writing this press release, I am expecting other death reports sooner or later."

[DrGunsforHands]

Wow, this is terrible! Hope this is the end of it. Worried that this may be Avian Flu. For 1000 people to die from a disease in just one week is huge! Why no reporting of this? It's being carried by Reuters, so it's not like it isn't out there for people to pick up.

[pollywog]

YIKES!!

[Rodney King]

Dirt poor people in the midst of war and famine, who drink out of the same water they defacate in, are dying of disease. News at 11.

[LdSentinal]

That's terrible.

[GSlob]

meetingitis is a terrible disease.

[KantianBurke]

In that case the compassionate thing to do would be to rush in 50 thousand US troops to do...um...good works! After all if Jesus were the CIC, HE'D do it! (sarcasm off)

[browardchad]

It's apparently the word of one man -- the governor. Wait and see if it really is an "unknown disease."

The fact that it's being reported by Reuters means nothing until it's verified by some objective source.

[edpc]

He appealed for medical experts to come to diagnose the disease and help stop the spread of the outbreak.

Clooney has a thing for Darfur. He also played a doc on TV. I nominate him.

[OldFriend]

Perhaps someone gassed these people.

[null and void]

Ping

[blam]

Dang!!! That's 143 people (average) a day and no-one knows what it is?

Lots of coffins.

[Eric_WA]

Actually, this is in south Sudan where the civil war has ended, not Darfur where a war is continuing at present.

[edpc]

I'm aware of that. Darfur and this area are both in Sudan. My suggestion still stands.

[kinoxi]

Africa's "meningitis belt" stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia

I had no idea that such a place existed. It's got to be pretty bad under 'normal' circumstances to be called that.

[happygrl]

There is a saying in Africa that "Africans die from diseases that people in other countries survive."

People on that continent are so stressed physiologically from low nutrition, war, lack of access to safe water, no medical care, refugee status, and loss of family members to all of the above that they succumb quickly to whatever disease afflicts them.

This is a spike in what is otherwise a typical week in Africa.

[sono]

This number is greater than the lives lost by acute lead intoxication in Darfur.

[deputytess]

My God, haven't those people suffered enough. First Darfur now this. Where are all those celebrities when there's a real human disaster that could use their influence, such as it is.

[KarinG1]

It may seem cynical, but I think myself more of a realist. The illness will almost certainly be blamed on witchcraft and/or America and the cure will involve slaying infidels and/or child molestation. Sometimes I'm not sure why we bother trying to help such people.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

DDT might have controlled/prevented deseases in these countrys. They should thank Rachel Carlson and the enviros who banned its' use.

[processing please hold]

meetingitis is a terrible disease.

It killed my brother.