AFRICA/ANGOLA - Marburg virus spreads: 203 dead. Italian ‘Doctors with Africa’ CUAMM part of co-ordination nucleus at Uige hospital

Friday, 15 April 2005

Padua (Fides Service) - The outbreak of the Marburg virus is worse than ever, the number of cases registered so far in April is much higher than in the whole of March. The haemorrhagic fever caused by Marburg is similar to the Ebola virus, but United Nations health experts say it appears to have an even higher mortality rate.
World Health Organisation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Doctors without Frontiers, Doctors with Africa CUAMM have opened a coordination nucleus at Uige hospital to run the hospital in accordance with the international security guidelines. A first step to manage a complex crisis as the epidemic spreads.
The hospital is open but with reduced activity to deal with conditions of security for all the operators. Meetings and formation courses on how to apply the fundamental rules of behaviour have been held in every department. This is what is defined by the competent authorities an ‘acceptable risk’ to allow the operators in the zone to guarantee minimum level of assistance for the local people without exposing them to the risk of contagion. Admit people back to hospital, resume acceptable levels of treatment and service, means, also introducing elements of danger of infection which must be kept under control.
“Psychological pressure is high: the city is emptying - say the doctors in Uige - all people talk about is death, funerals, bodies to be removed”. Dramatic is the state of health of the people exposed to the double drama of the danger of infection by Marburg fever and serious deterioration of the level of treatment and service. “To guarantee scrupulous hospital protection - says the delegation of CUAMM in Uige - much costly material is needed; it is promised by everyone but little arrives. And so we need help”. (AP) (15/4/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:28 Parole:318)


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