World Health Organization Works With Officials From Ghana Amid Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak in the Country Similar to Ebola

Ghana confirmed its first-ever outbreak of the Marburg virus a few days ago after the tests on the two patients returned positive. The highly infectious virus is similar to the virus that causes Ebola. It is also the second time that the Marburg virus has infected someone in West Africa.

The first case in the region was reported in Guinea on August 9, 2021. Before that incident, West Africa was considered free of the Marburg virus disease (MVD).

WHO Identifies First Two Cases of Marburg Virus Disease in Ghana

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Sunday that two unrelated people from the southeastern Ashanti region of Ghana died after contracting the Marburg virus. Samples were sent to the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, to confirm the infection of the two patients who had symptoms of diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

One of the patients was a 26-year-old male admitted to the hospital on June 26, 2022, and died the next day. The second patient was a 51-year-old male, who was hospitalized on June 28 and died on the same day.

WHO said in their press release that they are working with the Ghanian health authorities to alert and educate the community about the highly infectious diseases and provide infection prevention measures.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, commended the health authorities for responding swiftly to the incident and getting a head start on preparing for a possible outbreak.

The Ghana Health Service urged the public to avoid mines and caves where fruit bats live and ensure that raw meat is properly cooked before consumption to prevent transmission of the virus.

Marburg Virus: Symptoms, Transmission, Treatment

Marburg virus causes the Marburg virus disease (MVD), a rare but fatal disease that affects people and non-human primates. According to People magazine, symptoms could begin abruptly after exposure. An infected person could experience high fever, severe headache, severe malaise, muscle pains, diarrhea on the third day that can persist for a week, abdominal cramping, and nausea and vomiting.

WHO said that infected patients at this stage might appear ghost-like with their deep-set eyes, expressionless faces, and extreme lethargy caused by the virus.

Symptoms may also not immediately appear, as it could take between two to 21 days after the infection before it shows.

Marburg virus is a zoonotic disease that came from fruit bats and spread to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the virus could also spread via semen from someone who recovered from MVD since the virus can remain in certain body fluids even if they no longer have symptoms of the illness.

On the other hand, there is not enough evidence that the Marburg virus can spread through vaginal sexual intercourse from a woman who recovered from the disease. Since there are no existing vaccines or antiviral treatments for the virus, CDC says that treating specific symptoms is an option to improve the survival rate of an infected person.

Marburg virus is not typically seen in the US, although international travel to places where the virus is endemic could lead to additional outbreaks, just like what happened to monkeypox. Therefore, people must be aware of this infectious virus.

Check out more news and information on Zoonotic Diseases in Science Times.