Ebola experts yet to return to Mekambo

The international team of Ebola experts, who were relocated from Mekambo in Ogooue-Ivindo province, northern Gabon, due to hostility from villagers last week, were due to review the situation in the capital Libreville on Tuesday, the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) said. An IFRC medical team that returned from an assessment mission in the area on Monday, were to brief the review meeting on their findings before a decision to return could be taken, spokesman Andrei Neacsu told IRIN on Tuesday. "The team - Emilien Fouda and Annie Boma - found that people were more receptive, but still reluctant to accept the international experts back. But 32 IFRC volunteers and local authorities are continuing to advise the people and to mediate. We hope the experts will be able to return soon," said Neacsu. The World Health Organzation said on 9 January the team, which is working with local officials, to contain an outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Gabon and neighbouring Republic of Congo, was moved from Mekambo to Makokou - both in northern Gabon, due to security concerns. IFRC officials in Gabon had said the move was prompted by local hostility that arose over attempts to stop traditional burial rites, such as washing the bodies of the dead, in order to curb the spread of the disease. Detected nearly two months ago, Ebola had claimed 25 lives in Gabon and Congo by last week. A total of 34 confirmed cases had been reported, while another 231 people had been identified for monitoring, WHO said. It is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids of infected persons. There is no cure and between 50 percent and 90 percent of victims die.