Ebola virus wipes out two-thirds of the gorillas in a reserve

[Guest guest]

Ebola kills 100 in Congo, wipes out gorillas

------

 

CONGO REPUBLIC: March 13, 2003

 

 

BRAZZAVILLE - The deadly Ebola virus has killed 100 people in the remote

forests of Congo Republic and wiped out nearly two-thirds of the gorillas in

a reserve.

 

 

 

" We have reached the fateful figure of 100 dead, " Congo's Health Minister

Alain Moka said this week at a ceremony to accept donations to help fight

the outbreak.

 

The latest Ebola epidemic to hit the central African country struck in

January in the dense forest region of Cuvette-Ouest about 700 kms (440

miles) north of the capital Brazzaville.

 

Ebola is passed on by infected body fluids and kills between 50 and 90

percent of its victims. It starts with a high fever and headache and can

lead to massive internal bleeding.

 

" The government has already spent 300 million CFA francs ($507,000) to put

in place the logistics needed to help the stricken people but the state

alone cannot help, " Moka said.

 

" We must have the support of everybody and the international community. "

 

There is no known cure for Ebola and authorities in central Africa have

battled the disease by cordoning off affected areas and trying to stop

locals eating primates.

 

Scientists believe this outbreak was triggered by the consumption of

infected monkey meat. Bush meat is a staple among remote forest communities

and deemed a delicacy in many cities.

 

Monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas started dying in large numbers towards the

end of last year and primatologists say the impact has been devastating on

the Lossi park in Cuvette-Ouest.

 

At an Ebola conference in Brazzaville last week, primatologist Bermejo

Magdalena told Reuters that gorillas had been disappearing at an alarming

rate where she works in the Lossi sanctuary, which covers 320 square kms.

 

" In the sanctuary of about 1,200 gorillas we are now down to just 450

gorillas. We have recorded the disappearance of 600 to 800 gorillas, " she

said, adding the outbreak could spread to the nearby Odzala park and might

then contaminate forests in Gabon.

 

" If Odzala is also contaminated by the epidemic, that's nearly 20,000

gorillas under threat. That's very serious, catastrophic, " she said.

 

Ebola killed 73 people in Gabon and the same area of Congo in an epidemic

from October 2001 to February 2002 but experts fear this outbreak is more

virulent.

 

The disease takes its name from a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo

where Ebola was discovered in 1976. The worst outbreak was there in 1995

when more than 250 people died.

 

Despite scientists' efforts to change villagers' eating habits and burial

rites, which can involve handling the internal organs of corpses, many

believe occult forces are at work.

 

Four teachers accused of casting a spell to cause the latest Ebola outbreak

were stoned and beaten to death in February.

 

 

Story by Christian Tsoumou

 

 

 

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE