Mystery virus worries Brazil

Local authorities are considering action to prevent the spread of a mysterious virus in Brazil which has claimed seven lives and left 43 people seriously ill.

Estado news agency reported that the outbreak, in the town of Japeri near Rio de Janeiro, had prompted mayor Luis Barcelos de Vasconcelos to contemplate quarantining two neighbourhoods affected by the disease.

Both neighbourhoods are without sanitation or running water.

Sanitation is poor in neighbourhoods like these

The Brazilian authorities have sent a number of blood samples to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The mayor said the authorities would take action only when test results were sent back from the centre.

His main concern was that the disease did not spread and get out of control, he added.

"If that happens all we can do is pray," the agency quoted him as saying.

Symptoms

The first victim of the virus was a 15-year-old boy, who died on 12 June. The other six died between June and September.

Symptoms of the disease include sharp muscle pains, headaches, fever, diarrhea and hemorrhaging.

The majority of deaths occurred within five days of the first symptoms appearing.

No new cases

But the agency quoted local health department official Oscar Berro as saying that the chances of finding new cases were very low.

The disease has an incubation period of 15 days and no new cases had been found in the last 23, he said.

He added that quarantine was not necessary but that local residents should inform the authorities of pets dying.

A rat extermination programme was being carried out in the area as a preventative measure.