On Thursday, the World Health Organization issued its first warning to people planning on traveling to Angola. The WHO's recommendation is that people with preexisting medical conditions who might find themselves in need of hospital care while in Angola, should avoid traveling to the country. If travel to Angola cannot be delayed, these individuals should definitely avoid the northern province of Uige where the disease has hit hardest.

The advisory stated in part: 'Travelers to Angola should be aware of the outbreak of Marburg haemorrhagic fever and of the need to avoid close contact with ill persons.'

Likewise, people who have been in Angola should also seek immediate medical attention if they contract a fever within ten days after returning home. So far, no tourists have been affected with this disease which kills nearly everyone who becomes infected.

The death toll rose to 215 on Wednesday, with 235 cases reported. Health officials are working to educate the population, warning against participating in traditional burial rites that include hugging and kissing the body of the deceased.

Celso Malavoloneke, a spokesperson for UNICEF points out, 'For the people here not to be able to pay their last tribute and respect to deceased beloved ones, that's particularly hard. And the whole issue of the social, cultural and anthropological impact of the disease is becoming more and more important.'

The disease is spread through contact with bodily fluids, and in dealing with corpses of victims of the disease, family members can easily be exposed. Advertisements are being run on Angolan radio and TV, warning of the risks.