The
World Health Organization has issued an update on the Marburg Virus outbreak in Uige Province, Angola.
The last update, and a brief background, can be found here
" Data on cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever in Angola are being reclassified and no nation-wide data can be reported today.
Detailed data are available for Uige, the most severely affected province, where surveillance has been steadily improving. As of 14 April, 224 cases have been reported. Of these cases, 207 were fatal. Most cases have occurred in Uige municipality, which has reported 175 cases and 163 deaths. Much smaller numbers of cases have been reported from a further 7 municipalities in this province."
The primary task is now epidemological studies to ascertain the scope of the outbreak. Angolan Goverment, Health, and local goverment officals are working with the WHO to inform and educate the public. The WHO says, "This ... is welcomed as an important step forward in achieving community acceptance of measures needed to bring the outbreak under control."
Monetary support for the medical effort has started to come in. "In response to an international appeal launched on 8 April, WHO has received pledges of funding, to support the outbreak response, from Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the European Union Humanitarian Office (ECHO)."
Absent from this list is a country whose leaders continually sprout adherence to a set of religious principles. These religious principles do not, apparently, extend to medical aid to a poor province in a war-ravaged country whose people are dropping dead from a horrific disease.