Fever Information - November 20, 2008

Indian Capital Is Under Attack Of Bacterial Meningitis, 15 Killed

May 8, 2005 - Topics meningitis, men, medicine, infection and fever
A new type of bacterial meningitis is reigning supreme and has killed at least 15 people and probably infected over a 100 in Indian capital New Delhi, according to reports published in Indian media.

According to the statement issued by Indian government, new cases of Menigococcal disease had been reported in New Delhi. But at the same time, the government assured that there was no need for panic as "the disease could be treated with antibiotics and there was enough stock of medicine

read more >>

WHO fears that Marburg Outbreak Will Get Worse

April 19, 2005 - Topics outbreak, flu, child, diarrhoea and fever
World Health Organization (WHO) Officials in Angola fear that the outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus will get worse. The World Health Organisation says the cycle of the disease has not been broken, and it is not yet controlled. A joint statement from Angola's health ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said an additional 513 people are under quarantine and surveillance with no new cases reported in other areas. We don't think that it is over," David Daigle of the WHO said.."The numbers are still going up." The Angolan health ministry feels the outbreak of Marburg Virus remains contained to the town of Uige in the country's northern district, helped by poor roads and isolation of the area. While people outside the town have contracted the disease, the Government says all had visited Uige, which is the epicentre of the outbreak. The virus has killed 235, said to be more deadly than Ebola. Most of the victims have been children. The Marburg vuris can kill a healthy person in a week, inducing bloody vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by severe fever. The disease is spread through contact with bodily fluids, such as sweat, saliva and blood. The disease is not treatable with any known drugs and an innoculation is not available
read more >>

Marburg Outbreak Kills 233 in Angola

April 17, 2005 - Topics outbreak, flu, marburg hemorrhagic fever, vaccine and epidemic
The Angolan Ministry of Health has declared that the death toll from the epidemic of Marburg hemorrhagic fever has jumped to 233. A total 255 cases have been recorded until Saturday. The health ministry issued a press release stating that all the reported cases of the Ebola-like disease had originated in the northwestern province of Uige. However, reports of death is still pouring in from other parts such as Luanda, Zaire, Malange, Kuangza Norte, Kuanza South and Cabinda provinces. The World Health Organization, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Doctors Without Borders are having a tough time in bringing the situation under control. They have deployed teams in Uige to combat the spread of the deadly virus. Marburg is spread through contact with bodily fluids. Marburg has been proving fatal, and there is no vaccine against it. This is not the first Marburg breaksout in this region. In the previous outbreak of Marburg, 123 people were killed in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo between 1998 and 2000, official records show
read more >>

The WHO Begins Further Investigation As Marburg Virus Claims 180 Lives

As the death toll in northwestern Angola rises to 180, The World Health Organization continues their investigation of the hemorrhagic fever outbreak plaguing the area and Angolans at risk begin lash out on health workers. As of Thursday, 205 cases of the Marburg hemorrhagic fever have been reported, 180 of which have died. The Zaire province is the most recent of the seven reportedly seeing an outbreak amongst residents. The virus is in the same family as the Ebola virus and spreads through blood and body fluid contact, making it very dangerous and lethal in human beings. In this case -- only the second natural outbreak of the virus -- there is evidence it has been amplified through ineffective containment in hospitals. The WHO reported that the first large outbreak under natural conditions of this kind was in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1998-2000. Mobile surveillance teams in Uige were forced to suspend operations Thursday when vehicles were attacked and damaged by residents. In addition, organization staff in Uige were notified Friday of several workers' fatalities, but teams were unable to investigate the causes of death or collect the bodies for burial. A WHO worker in Angola reported that health workers had been killed by residents who believed the workers were exposing them to the virus. The WHO is currently discussing ways "to find urgent solutions" with authorities in Angola. The WHO launched an appeal Friday for $2.4 million to support emergency response to the outbreak. They have also established an international network of laboratories to help in the investigation of this and other viral hemorrhagic fevers. They include two portable field laboratories in Angola. The major goal of the WHO is to determine where the Marburg virus hides in nature between outbreaks. Current studies of the virus in Angola offers vital clues
read more >>

157 Cases of Angola Marburg Virus

April 4, 2005 - Topics hospital, flu, malaria, typhoid fever and headache
Luanda, Angola- According to the World Health Organization an outbreak of deadly Marburg virus in Angola has now reached 157 cases. The outbreak is expected to affect even more people in the coming days. Health organizations from around the world are rushing aide to the war-ravaged country. A team of six experts from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, has arrived in Angola to help control the outbreak, the statement said. Marburg is a rare, severe form of hemorrhagic fever closely related to the Ebola virus. After staying dormant in the body for five to 21 days, the disease comes on suddenly with symptoms including fever, chills, headache and muscular pain or tenderness. In both diseases, victims bleed to death, often from every orifice and every organ. Symptoms become increasingly severe and may include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure and multi-organ dysfunction. Many of the symptoms of Marburg are similar to those of other infectious diseases, such as malaria or typhoid fever, diagnosing the disease can be difficult. There is no specific treatment for Marburg. But health experts recommend that patients be hospitalized in order to have their electrolytes and fluids balanced, their oxygen intake and blood pressure maintained, and any lost blood and clotting factors replaced. Marburg was first recognized in 1967, when outbreaks occurred simultaneously in laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, and in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Almost all the Angola deaths have occurred in the northern province of Uige, on the border with Congo
read more >>





© Copyright 2008 Webmedia Publishing, SA - all rights reserved.     Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer  |  Terms of Use