The World Health Organization has issued an update on the Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak in Uige Province, Angola.
"As of 9 April, 214 cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever have been reported in Angola. Of these, 194 have died. Uige Province remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for almost 90% of the cases and deaths."
More can be found here
At the end of last week health care workers had to withdraw due to physical assaults. Efforts over the weekend by religious leaders, Angolan health officials, and goverment leaders to educate the public have been successful. Health care workers are now being able to return to fighting the outbreak.
The current outbreak seems to be particularly lethal even when compared to previous outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever. Compounding the situation is diagnosis of the early symptoms are similar to other diseases prevalent in the province.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) has not updated their April 4, 2005 report
Background
The Uibe province of Angola was, once, the world's leading supplier of robusta coffees. War and mismanagement of the coffee plantations has resulted in a drop of export from 400,000 tons/year (1973) to approximately 40,000 tons/year. Food production in the province is not self-sufficient. Unexploited mineral deposits of cobalt and copper exist in the province. The economic mainstay of the province is haphazard exploitation of tropical hardwoods as the province is heavily forested.
The necessity for the people of the province to enter the forested area to earn money to purchase foodstuffs is, perhaps, the reason for the current outbreak of the virus.
Action
If you are not a trained health care worker already there, or on call, stay the heck out. This outbreak is extremely dangerous.
Should you want to do something a contribution to Medecins Sans Frontieres can be made here