Suspected outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in Johannesburg

On 9 October 2008 the South African Ministry of Health urged Johannesburg residents not to panic over a suspected outbreak of hemorrhagic fever. The virus, which was apparently imported from an infected Zambian woman, has killed three people since mid-September. The National Outbreak Response Team, however, is confident that it has taken the necessary steps to contain the suspected virus and does not believe that the wider Johannesburg population is at risk. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are currently working to confirm the identity of the disease. An emergency medical services hotline (011-564-2083) has been established to deal with medical inquiries; authorities have urged all individuals who feel that they may have been at risk of contracting the disease to immediately contact emergency medical personnel.