As if civil warfare and a barely real substructure were not enough , South Sudan is suffering an outbreak of a disease with symptoms disturbingly similar to Ebola . Health researcher are confident that the disease is not only not Ebola , but is not likely to distribute at anything like the same charge per unit . Still , that is only limited ease for the sick and those with the responsibility to keep the universe healthy .
On May 19 , the World Health Organizationannouncedthat it had been give notice by the South Sudanese health regime of 51 suspected character of haemorrhagic pyrexia from Aweil North and Aweil West , counties in the northern part of the world ’s newest self-governing nation . Ten people have died . Three - quarter of the cases were in mass senesce less than 20 , although in - DoS , where almost two - tierce of the population areunder 24 , this may be more coincidence than the sign of a disease that target the young .
Reported symptom include unexplained bleeding , fever , and vomiting . In cases where medical treatment could be provide symptoms resolve apace , but in a nation with some of the most limited medical resources in the world this has n’t always been possible .
The reports follow an evenlarger number of cases , and deaths , in neighboring Darfur last year .
The comparatively gentle resolution of the condition , with discussion , differentiates the disease from Ebola , but possibly more importantly , it does n’t seem to spread person - to - person , the capacity that inspired terminology such as “ going viral ” .
Whether the cause is viral , bacterial or something else remains unknown , however . Samples taken from 33 patients tested negatively charged for Ebola , and for other virus and bacteria have sex to cause haemorrhagic fever . The only known pathogen that was detected in multiple cases wasO’nyong - nyong , a mosquito - borne virus . However , not only does O’nyong - nyong have much milder symptoms , but it was only found in five typeface .
With no grounds of person - to - person cattle farm , the mysterious disease is unlikely to stimulate the sort of chaos unleash by a disease like Ebola , where medical workers were extremely vulnerable . On the other hand , experience no idea what is causing the condition make it almost inconceivable to be confident it is under restraint .
Aid agencyMédecins Sans FrontièrestoldNational Public Radiothey are “ view the situation fairly closely , ” and “ could deploy very rapidly if necessary in the area , but for the minute it does not seem that it is required . ”
Nevertheless , with the experience of theZika virus , once thought for the most part harmless , master the news , it is hard to write off the threat from any ill understood disease .
