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A mysterious illness that causes blood to vomit has killed 15 people and hospitalized over 50 others in Tanzania.
The disease detected in the southern region of the country killed mostly men within hours of developing symptoms, The Sun reported.
Tanzania shares a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Ebola recently killed a woman three months after it was announced that the “last Ebola patient” had recovered in the central African country.
Medical teams of experts have been deployed to the region to try to find the cause of the epidemic. Felista Kisandu, the local chief medical officer, confirmed that a team of experts had been dispatched to assess the patients and investigate the cause of their illness.
«This problem has not been generalized ”, Kisandu said. “This happened in one administrative department in Ifumbo where people vomit blood and die when they arrive late at the hospital.”
She said the cause of their illness had not yet been identified but the Tanzanian Ministry of Health “had ruled out an epidemic “, according to the media.
«The first clinical examinations revealed that the patients, mostly men, suffered from stomach ulcers and liver disease ”, Kisandu said. “We advised them to avoid drinking illicit drinks, smoking cigarettes and other strong drinks.”
Authorities are analyzing water and blood samples from patients for traces of mercury contamination.
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