Ebola outbreak: Mali doctor dies after treating preacher

At least 300 people are currently under surveillance in Mali, the authorities there say

A doctor has died in Mali after treating a patient who sparked a second wave of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.

The doctor, whose name has not been released, worked at the Bamako clinic where an Islamic preacher from Guinea was admitted last month.

The preacher was initially diagnosed with a kidney problem and has since died, along with another health worker.

Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have been worst hit by the Ebola outbreak.

More than 5,400 people have died in those three countries, along with a handful of others in Nigeria, Spain and the US.

The outbreak of Ebola has devastated Liberia and had a major effect on the country's economy

Mali's government says five people have now been confirmed as having died from Ebola in the country.

It is not clear if this includes the preacher, Oussa Koita, as he was buried before tests were carried out.

A two-year-old girl also died from Ebola in Mali last month in a separate case, which has not led to any further infections.

At least 300 people are currently under surveillance in Mali, the authorities there say.

On Thursday, Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) evacuated a Spanish national, who had been exposed to the virus.

However, MSF said this was just a precautionary measure as the Spanish citizen did not show any symptoms of Ebola.

Ebola is spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person showing symptoms, such as fever or vomiting.

People caring for the sick or handling the bodies of people infected Ebola are therefore especially vulnerable.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30128344

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