Tristan da Cunha, a tiny island in the South Atlantic and regarded to be the most remote inhabited island in the world is seeking help after the outbreak of an acute virus

Many of the 271 British citizens living on the island have developed severe breathing problems and they need assistance to ensure their supplies do not run out. Currently an international operation is under way to deliver medical supplies to the island.

The tiny volcanic island has no airstrip making rapid delivery challenging. In addition merchant ships in the area are unlikely to have the drugs necessary to aid the people.

Apparently viruses have swept through the island before but, medicines have never run out. The virus that is attacking the population which was not identified has resulted in the hospitals four bedroom hospital overflowing.

Located 2,800km west of Cape Town, South Africa the island once served as the main trading route between Europe and the Indian Ocean, but now the small community is extremely isolated. .

For more information on the outbreak click here.

For more information on Tristan da Cunha read an old post about the island here