Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / AFRICA
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Tuesday, 12 April, 2005, 08:28 GMT 09:28 UK

Fear of hospital hits virus fight

Nurse leaves makeshift isolation ward in Uige Health workers fighting to contain an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in Angola say families are refusing to send infected relatives to hospital.

They say this is increasing the risk of the virus spreading.

Some 203 people are now known to have died from the disease since October, including 14 medical staff, says the World Health Organisation.

WHO officials say they have begun a public awareness campaign in the worst affected region of Uige.

The WHO was forced to temporarily suspend operations in Uige last week after attacks on its vehicles by residents fearing that health workers would spread the Marburg virus.

The haemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus is similar to the Ebola virus, but United Nations health experts say it appears to have an even higher mortality rate.

"People don't want to send their relatives to isolation wards, knowing most won't survive," Monica Castellanau from aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres told BBC from Uige.

Neighbouring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa have taken precautions to prevent the virus crossing their borders.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
SA acts to keep out deadly virus (11 Apr 05 |  Africa )
Attacks halt virus work in Angola (09 Apr 05 |  Africa )
Angola struggles to cope with virus (07 Apr 05 |  Africa )
Marburg virus (04 Apr 05 |  Medical notes )
Marburg outbreak worst recorded (31 Mar 05 |  Africa )
Country profile: Angola (11 Feb 05 |  Country profiles )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Angolan Government
South African Department of Health
World Health Organisation
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Marburg information
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©