Deaths since Angola鈥檚 outbreak of Marburg haemorrhagic fever began are set to top 200 this week, making the epidemic the largest ever recorded for the disease. The death toll from the fever is approaching twice the 123 inflicted on the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1998 and 2000.
The latest figures, issued by the World Health Organization on Monday, revealed that of the 214 cases reported up to Saturday, 194 had died 鈥� a death rate of 90 per cent. With 360 further contacts still under investigation, the crisis is far from over. 鈥淥verall, we feel confident we can control the outbreak. It鈥檚 not out of control,鈥� a spokeswoman told New 杏吧原创. 鈥淲e can do it but it will take time and resources.鈥�
Efforts to stop the Marburg virus spreading in the north-eastern Angolan province of Uige were not helped last weekend when locals stoned vehicles carrying WHO surveillance teams, who have been trying to encourage measures to slow transmission of the disease. Some families and relatives were upset at requests not to touch infected relatives or the bodies of victims, to avoid being exposed to the highly infectious virus. The local hostility forced the WHO to temporarily suspend its activities.
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鈥淲e can鈥檛 be seen to be coming in and taking over,鈥� the spokeswoman says. 鈥淲e must do things in a way that is sensitive to local needs.鈥� Following intensive outreach campaigns over the weekend supported by local politicians and religious leaders, the WHO hopes tension is easing. Since the outreach effort, more locals are coming forward to report possible cases.