Marburg virus is highly infectious and causes Ebola-like illness with severe hemorrhagic symptoms...
Digital Desk: As stated by the World Health Organization (WHO), at least nine people have died in Equatorial Guinea from the Marburg virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever and is comparable to the "Ebola" disease.
According to a news release from WHO, Equatorial Guinea confirmed the first-ever outbreak of the virus after samples from nine patients tested positive for the Marburg virus. Sixteen suspected instances with symptoms such as fever, tiredness, and blood-stained vomit and diarrhoea have also been reported, according to the statement.
As per the announcement, advance teams have been deployed in the targeted regions to track down contacts, and isolate and treat anyone showing symptoms of the disease.
The WHO R&D Blueprint has scheduled an emergency meeting with MARVAC partners on February 14 to review vaccine and treatment candidates and to establish proposed research priorities for the newly discovered Marburg epidemic in Equatorial Guinea, according to a statement on the WHO's website.
The health minister of Equatorial Guinea Mitoha Ondo'o Ayekaba announced that the country had "issued today (February 14) the health alert for a Marburg hemorrhagic fever in the province of Kie-Ntem and the (neighbouring) district of Mongomo", according to a post on website Africanews.
To deal with the pandemic in this area, a "containment plan" has been put in place in close collaboration with the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
Emergency response is also underway, with WHO deploying health emergency professionals to help national response operations and secure community engagement to manage the outbreak.
"Marburg is contagious. Thanks to the Equatorial Guinean authorities' prompt and decisive action in verifying the disease, emergency response can ramp up quickly so that we can save lives and stop the virus as soon as possible," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
What exactly is the Marburg virus?
Marburg virus sickness is a highly contagious disease that causes hemorrhagic fever and has an 88 per cent death rate. It is related to the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. The virus's illness manifests itself rapidly, with high fever, severe headache, and severe malaise.
Within seven days, many individuals experience severe hemorrhagic signs. The virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads among humans by direct contact with infected people's bodily fluids, surfaces, and materials.
There are no licenced vaccinations or antiviral medicines to treat the virus.
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