Death toll rises to 250 in mystery disease in Kenya

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the number of people known to have died of an unidentified disease that has hit north-eastern Kenya has risen to two-hundred-and-fifty.

An official at the WHO, David Heymann, said laboratory tests were now underway in Kenya, South Africa and the United States and he was hopeful the disease would be identified within the coming few days.

But Mr Heymann said the outbreak was not a threat to tourists.

He said the disease had occured in rural areas, near the border with Somalia, and was therefore a long way from the main tourist centres of Nairobi, Mombasa and the national parks.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service