THE Ministry of Health has detected a suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) alert in Luanshya District, but says preliminary tests on the patient’s blood sample have returned negative for both Ebola and Marburg viruses. Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr Kennedy Lishimpi, says Rapid Response Teams have identified and placed 70 contacts in Luanshya and Ndola under daily 21-day symptom and temperature monitoring. Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) are a group of severe, multi-system illnesses caused by several distinct families of viruses such as Ebola, Marburg and Lassa. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies them as high-threat pathogens because they damage the cardiovascular system, impair the body’s ability to clot and carry high fatality rates. In a statement,...