Equatorial Guinea has quarantined 200 people in the the Northern Province of Kié-Ntem after eight people died in two adjacent communities in the Nsok Nsomo district from hemorrhagic fevers connected to an unidentified illness. Both state government officials and the WHO are working to identify samples, with additional samples sent to Gabon and Senegal for identification.
A funeral ceremony on February 7th reportedly triggered the outbreak with individuals who took part being those who died, authorities have restricted movement in the area and are working on contact tracing. Minister Mitoha Ondo’o Ayekaba said that they are trying to rule out other illnesses such as Ebola or Lassa that cause hemorrhagic fevers.
Death was caused within a “few hours” by the illness after symptoms began, with symptoms of nose bleeds, fever, joint pain, and other ailments, said head of health for the district, Ngu Fankam Roland.
In a recent statement a Cameroon district health official said around 20 deaths had been recorded on Wednesday in villages in Kie-Ntem province, which borders Cameroon’s Olamze district. He told Reuters on Friday that no cases had been detected or suspected in Cameroon so far.
