Kenya on alert for ebola virus

Specialists from the World Health Organisation are investigating a possible outbreak of the deadly ebola virus in Kenya.

Kenyan health workers are on alert, after a female patient died from a mysterious illness.

The 24-year-old, who was a trainee police officer, died after suffering from a haemorrhagic fever in which she bled to death.

Another police cadet has also been hospitalised.

The Kenyan Government says it is too early to determine if the illness is the ebola virus.

But the Government has notified the World Health Organisation of the possible outbreak.

Protective clothing and special medication have been sent to hospitals in the affected area, north of Nairobi.

Samples from the victims of the fever have been sent to laboratories in South Africa and the United States, but test results will not be available for up to two weeks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/health/2001/04/item20010411072850_1.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 11, 2001