Hidayatullah.com– Two deaths from the Marburg virus have been identified in Ghana, the first case of an Ebola-like disease found in the western African country.
This month, blood samples taken from two people in the Ashanti region showed they contained Marburg virus.
The sample was sent to the Pasteur Institute in Senegal, which confirmed the diagnosis, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said.
“This is the first time that Ghana has confirmed Marburg viral disease,” said GHS chief Patrick Kuma-Aboagye The Guardian Monday (18/7/2022).
There is no treatment or vaccine yet for Marburg, which is nearly as deadly as Ebola. Symptoms include high fever and internal and external bleeding.
Ninety-eight people identified as contact cases were placed in quarantine, the GHS said in a statement, underscoring that no other Marburg cases have been found in Ghana.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the case as the first outbreak of Marburg in Ghana.
“Health authorities acted swiftly, preparing immediately for a possible outbreak,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
“This is good because without immediate and decisive action, Marburg could easily spiral out of control. WHO is on the ground supporting health authorities and now that it’s declared an outbreak we’re pooling more resources to tackle it.”
The WHO said Guinea had confirmed one case when it was declared a Marburg wabsh in September 2021.
Marburg outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa have previously been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, according to the WHO.
Marburg virus can be spread from infected animals, including bats.
“The public is therefore advised to avoid caves inhabited by bats and to thoroughly cook all meat products before consumption,” advises Ghana’s health authority.
In addition, anyone who has had contact with a Marburg patient, including medical staff, must self-isolate.
The disease caused by this virus makes people who are infected suddenly feel symptoms, in the form of high fever and severe headache. The mortality rate in confirmed cases has ranged from 24% to 88% in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus variant and case management, according to WHO.*
Rep: Ama Farah
Editor: I knew
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