Family and neighbours watch in terror as Marburg virus kills

AS epidemiologist Sylvia Briand boots up to take samples from a prospective victim of the deadly Marburg virus in a cramped Angolan slum, family and neighbours stand by in fear, grief and fascination.

Identifying cases of the Ebola-like haemorrhagic fever is seen as key to controlling an outbreak that has killed over 230 people in this southern African country and which the UN World Health Organisation says is not yet contained.

“We have seen some cases where it has killed 11 people in one family,” Ms Briand said.