Gossip Initially (And Mistakenly) Attributed To Ebola Or Marburg's -- Five Recent Deaths In Algeria Were Heat Related / Dehydration...

It is rather disconcerting from a "process" standpoint that, even for only 24 or so hours, some members of the public (likely due to hospital workers' gossiping) thought that Ebola might be the cause of five in-hospital deaths. That would be how unfounded panics get started.

Fortunately, quick testing revealed that they were heat-exposure related, and the government got pressers out immediately -- to avoid a wider panic.

Do go read it all, but here is that story -- from a local news outlet:

. . .The statement came after reports of five deaths in Tizi Ouzou from the viruses. The hospital in question denied this and said five people died from hyperthermia due to an ongoing heatwave. . . .

"Due to the continued circulation of false information related to the presence of Ebola and Marburg virus cases in Algeria, it must be clarified that, to date, no case of these diseases has been identified or registered," the health ministry said in a statement published to its social media. . . .

It is a truly odd moment in history, when the GOOD news is that they died of heat exhaustion -- i.e., not directly contagious, in the way a viral load might be. Wow. Onward.

नमस्ते