Number of Ebola victims reaches 400; 160 dead in Uganda

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) -- The number of people infected with the deadly Ebola virus reached 400 Friday, with 160 of those victims having died from the highly contagious disease, health officials say.

In the last three days, two people have died in the northern town of Gulu, while two others died in Masindi, 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of Kampala, said Dr. Alex Opio, assistant director of the National Disease Control Center.

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During the same period, Opio said seven new cases were identified in Gulu, the epicenter of the outbreak. So far the disease has been confined to Gulu, Masindi and Mbarara districts, he added.

With the rate of new cases dwindling, Ugandan officials have no plans to restrict travel during the busy Christmas season because there was little chance at this stage of the outbreak worsening, Opio said.

The outbreak has taken a staggering toll on the health workers in Gulu.

"So far 26 health workers have been affected by the virus," Opio said. "Of the 13 of these people who have died in Gulu, they include 11 nurses, one doctor and a clinical officer ... two nurses and one doctor are down with the disease."

The fever caused by the Ebola virus is transmitted through body fluids. The disease can cause severe hemorrhagic fever and is often fatal. Victims aggressively treated with fluids to fight dehydration stand a better chance of survival.

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Ugandan Health Ministry
CDC: Special Pathogens Branch
CDC: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
World Health Orgnaization: Disease Outbreak Surveillance

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