>>
Persons with existing medical conditions who might require
hospitalization should consider deferring non-essential travel to
Angola, particularly to Uige Province.
Those travelling to Angola
for the purpose of working in health care settings should be fully
informed regarding the outbreak of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, equipped
with effective personal protective equipment, and trained in the
procedures to prevent transmission in such settings.
Travellers leaving Angola
should be advised to seek medical attention should any illness with
fever develop within 10 days of their departure. Information about
recent travel to Angola should be included when symptoms are reported.
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Although WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions in Angola, the
above advisory is included in the latest
update. It
is becoming increasingly clear that the Marburg virus is spreading, and
its current locations within Angola are not well understood.
Earlier reports included increases in reported cases in Luanda, but
these
reports appear to lag the true situations on the ground.
Unconfirmed, but not unexpected reports, indicate a significant
increase
in confirmed and suspected cases in the Americo Boavida isolation ward,
as
well as spread to at least one province not currently listed among the
provinces with reported cases.
The recent report of a large familial cluster of Marburg hemorrhagic
fever demonstrates relatively efficient transmission among close
contacts. The above warning makes note of potential unsafe
conditions in hospitals, where there have been at least 17 fatal
infections in
health
care workers.
It seems likely that the recent developments will heighten the concerns
of
foreign nationals, which might lead to an exodus from Luanda and/or
Angola.
The situation in Angola appears to be quite fluid, and is being closely
watched by those inside and outside of the country.
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