Three IS members suspected of contracting Ebola

Mosul residents fear an ebola epidemic breaking out after three suspected cases of ebola were diagnosed among IS fighters in the city.

MENA

2 min read

Al-Araby al-Jadeed

02 January, 2015

Fears of an ebola epidemic are spreading in the city [Getty]

Three members of the Islamic State group (IS) are suspected of having contracted the deadly Ebola virus in the city of Mosul, according to Iraqi medical sources. The fighters, two Europeans and a Libyan, are being quarantined in a private hospital in the west of the city.

IS has brought in specialist doctors to test other fighters in the city, while doctors have warned residents against being

The fighters, two Europeans and a Libyan, are being quarantined in a private hospital in the west of the city.

in close contact with IS fighters for fear of infection.

The vice president of the Nineveh General Tribal Council, al-Sheikh Ibrahim al-Hassan said the three fighters were quarantined two days ago after apparently contracting the deadly virus.

"The Islamic state group [IS] has brought in doctors from Syria to work alongside medical teams in Iraq, and tests all its fighters in the city for the virus," Hassan added.

Local residents, said Hassan, are worried this could signal the outbreak of an epidemic in the city, where the "medical infrastructure has collapsed".

A doctor from Mosul told al-Araby al-Jadeed, the group lacks the medical technology to diagnose ebola. Doctors, however, believe it is the virus and have ordered the victims quarantined.

The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity and works at Mosul's General Hospital, added: "It is not known if there are other cases, however it is rumoured IS will issue a religious fatwa [ruling] calling for any victims to be killed and buried far from the city."

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.