New Virus Identified in Outbreak in South Africa and Zambia

Apparently the previously reported "mystery disease" that has cropped up in southern Africa is a newly identified strain of virus from the Arenaviridae family. So the story goes:

"The results of tests conducted at the Special Pathogens Unit, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service in Johannesburg, and at the Special Pathogens and Infectious Disease Pathology branches of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, USA, provide preliminary evidence that the causative agent of the disease which has resulted in the recent deaths of 3 people from Zambia and South Africa, is a virus from the Arenaviridae family."

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So what family of virus is this, you might ask?

It is the family of viruses whose brethren and sistren are agents of hemorrhage, meningitis, hepatic necrosis, and liver failure. Sounds like a barrel of fun, that bunch!

also:

"..Analysis continues at the NICD and CDC in order to characterize this virus more fully.."

Sounds good to me chaps! This thing seems contagious and that is not good buddies. That means it is either airborne, waterborne, or bloodborne. If its airborne, of course, we could all be screwed... depending on its virulence.