Ebola outbreak hits western African countries

GENEVA -- An outbreak of fever in the west African nation of Gabon has been confirmed as the deadly disease Ebola, the World Health Organization said Sunday.\nIt is the world's first documented outbreak of Ebola since last year in Uganda, where 224 people -- including health workers -- died from the virus. Ebola is one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind, causing death in 50 to 90 percent of all clinically ill cases.\n"It's been confirmed by a laboratory in Gabon," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told The Associated Press. "We've had reports that seven people have died."\nHartl said WHO has already sent a team to help the coastal nation and that a second team of four specialists would leave Geneva for Gabon Monday.\nThe outbreak is in remote Ogooue Ivindo province in northeastern Gabon, he said. Gabon was last afflicted in an outbreak in 1996-97 that killed 45 of the 60 people infected.\nFriday, Hartl said there were unconfirmed reports of a possible outbreak in Congo, which is near Gabon although the two countries have no common borders.\nEbola is passed through contact with bodily fluids, such as mucus, saliva and blood, but is not airborne. The virus incubates for four to 10 days before flu-like symptoms set in. Eventually, the virus causes severe internal bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea.\nThere is no cure, but patients treated early for dehydration have a good chance of survival.