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World Cup qualifier postponed over virus fears

May 13, 2005 15:58 IST

A World Cup qualifier in Angola has been postponed because of fears over an outbreak of the Marburg virus which has killed nearly 300 people in the north of the country.

The African zone Group Four match between Angola and Algeria, scheduled for the capital Luanda on June 5, will now be played on August 17, FIFA have told the Angolan Football Federation.

But it could be moved to a neutral venue later in the year if the epidemic is not brought under control.

The Angolans are two

points behind leaders Nigeria in the group, with Algeria in bottom place after failing to win in their last six matches.

The Angolan Football Federation on Friday criticised the FIFA decision, highlighting the distance from the epicentre of the outbreak to the capital. There have been 277 casualties, and more deaths are feared, in the northern province of Uige, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said last week.

The rare haemorrhagic fever is transmitted through bodily fluids including blood and saliva.

Source: REUTERS
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