The results have been confirmed by additional testing at the Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, according to a statement from the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Digital Desk: After two people who
later died tested positive for the virus earlier this month, Ghana's health
service announced on Sunday that two cases of the highly contagious Marburg
virus, which is similar to Ebola, have been officially confirmed.
The
World Health Organization stated that tests performed in Ghana returned
positive results on July 10, but the cases had to be confirmed by a laboratory
in Senegal.
The
results have been confirmed by additional testing at the Institute Pasteur in
Dakar, Senegal, according to a statement from the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
GHS
stated that it is taking precautions to lessen any risk of the virus spreading,
including isolating all contacts who have been found, none of whom have so far
shown any symptoms.
In
West Africa, this is only the second Marburg outbreak. In Guinea, the virus was
discovered for the first time ever last year, but no additional cases have been
found.
"Health
authorities in Ghana have reacted quickly to begin preparing for a potential
outbreak." This is advantageous because Marburg could quickly spiral out
of control without swift and decisive action, "the WHO's regional director
for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, stated."
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