Reseacher Dies After Accidental Ebola Jab

<snip>

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A researcher in a heavily guarded Siberian virology laboratory died after pricking herself with a syringe containing the deadly Ebola (news - web sites) virus, a spokeswoman from the lab said Tuesday.

"It was an accident or an unlucky coincidence. Her hand just slipped and she jabbed herself," the spokeswoman said.

Ebola begins with a high fever and can lead to massive internal bleeding. It kills between 50 and 90 percent of victims, depending on the strain of the virus, for which there is no known cure. It is one of the world's most feared diseases.

Most outbreaks have occurred in Africa, far from the Siberian lab where the senior technician was experimenting on guinea pigs when the accident happened on May 5. She died two weeks later.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=1&u=/nm/20040526/od_nm/health_russia_ebola_dc

What a terrible tragedy.