Ebola was spread widely at funeral of first victim

August 2, 2012 in Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

(AP) — The aid group Doctors Without Borders says the first victim of the latest Ebola outbreak in Uganda was a 3-month-old girl and that of the 65 people who attended her funeral, 15 later contracted the deadly disease.

At least 11 of those who attended the baby's funeral have since died, the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

Funerals in Uganda are typically elaborate affairs that draw huge crowds. In a national address this week, Uganda's president urged people to avoid unnecessary contact with each other and discouraged handshakes. Doctors Without Borders says that while that is good advice people without symptoms are not contagious, and avoiding contact with others' bodily fluids is the best way to limit an outbreak.

Ebola is highly infectious and kills quickly.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Tags

Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

WHO voices deep concern over spread of SARS-like virus

The World Health Organization voiced deep concern Thursday over the SARS-like virus that has killed 22 people in less than a year, saying it might potentially spread more widely between humans.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created 2 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

WHO: Scientific red tape mars efforts vs. virus

International efforts to combat a new pneumonia-like virus that has now killed 22 people are being slowed by unclear rules and competition for the potentially profitable rights to disease samples, the head ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created 14 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Shortage of key drug hampering U.S. efforts to control TB, report says

(HealthDay)—A shortage of a critical tuberculosis drug has hampered the efforts of health departments across the United States to contain the spread of the highly infectious lung disease, federal officials ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created 15 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Heart healthy lifestyle may cut kidney disease patients' risk of kidney failure

Maintaining a heart healthy lifestyle may also help protect chronic kidney disease patients from developing kidney failure and dying prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the Am ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created 15 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Flu vaccine also linked to narcolepsy in adults, study reports

Finnish researchers unveiled new data Thursday to link the Pandemrix flu vaccine to a higher risk of the sleeping disorder narcolepsy in adults.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created 16 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


Alzheimer's disease, the soft target of the euthanasia debate

(Medical Xpress)—The way Alzheimer's disease is portrayed by advocacy groups and the media is having undue influence on the euthanasia debate, according to a Deakin University nursing ethics professor.

Depression raises diabetics' risk of severe low blood sugar episodes

(Medical Xpress)—Patients with diabetes who are depressed are much more likely to develop episodes of dangerously low blood sugars, or hypoglycemia, than are those who are not depressed, a new study has ...

Reducing experimental inflammatory arthritis

(Medical Xpress)—UCD researchers led by Conway Fellow, Professor David Brayden in UCD School of Veterinary Medicine have successfully reduced inflammation in the swollen arthritic knees of a murine model using a novel nanoparticle.

Ground breaking cancer research finds immune system link

(Medical Xpress)—Curtin University researchers have found evidence that targeting specific cells in the body can reverse the effects of cancer on the immune system.

Patenting the human genome

Can human genes be patented? That was the question posed by Alan J. Snyder, vice president and associate provost for research and graduate studies at Lehigh, and Lee Kaplan, scientific director of cellular and molecular genetics ...

Researcher identifies breast cancer fighting hormone

Transformative research from Western University has identified new hormones in the body which may suppress breast cancer and stimulate the regression of breast tumors.