Suspected Marburg virus cases: WHO deploys experts to Ghana

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed a team of experts to support Ghanaian health workers after Ghana confirmed two suspected cases of Marburg virus disease.

The two cases were found in the Ashanti Region after preliminary tests done in the country on two patients came back positive.The two affected patients have since passed away.
According to the Ghana Health Service, no new cases have been reported; however, 34 contacts linked to the initial two cases have been traced and are currently under quarantine.

“The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate with support from the Ghana Health Service Headquarters is currently conducting further investigations on the cases and contacts,” it said.

According to Graphic.com, the WHO experts are to support Ghana’s health authorities by bolstering disease surveillance, testing, tracing contacts, preparing to treat patients and working with communities to alert and educate them about the risks and dangers of the disease. They will alsocollaborate with the emergency response teams.

The team will also prepare for a possible outbreak of Marburg virus; a highly infectious disease in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola.

Meanwhile, the samples have been taken to the Institute Pasteur in Senegal for further tests, said Dr. Francis Kasolohe, the World Health Organization’s representative in Ghana.

“The two patients from the southern Ashanti region – both deceased and unrelated – showed symptoms including diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting. They had been taken to a district hospital in the Ashanti region,” he said.

“The health authorities are on the ground investigating the situation and preparing for a possible outbreak response. We are working closely with the country to ramp up detection, track contacts, be ready to control the spread of the virus.” Graphic.com added

Marburg Virus Disease is a rare but severe haemorrhagic fever that affects both humans and non-human primates.

It is caused by the Marburg virus. It is transmitted by infected persons or animals from direct contact with body fluids, blood and other discharges from the affected person/animal. The incubation period for the disease is two (2) to twenty-one (21) days. Treatment is symptomatic. There is currently no vaccine available.

Prospective cases may present with fever, bloody diarrhoea, bleeding from gums, bleeding into the skin, bleeding into eyes and, bloody urine.