WHO is working to contain an outbreak of Marburg, a virus similar to Ebola, and does not rule out that the actual death toll is higher

There World Health Organization (WHO) claimed to be working to contain a Marburg virus disease outbreak similar to that of Ebola which killed at least nine people in Equatorial Guinea although he does not rule out that the actual number of deaths is higher.

“Until February 21, the number of cumulative cases is nine, including one confirmed case, four probable cases and four suspected cases. All are deceased one is a health center and the other eight are in their communities,” WHO reported late Saturday in a statement.

“At this stage it cannot be excluded that all cases of Marburg virus disease have been identifiedand there could be chains of transmission that have not been studied,” the document adds.

In fact, the WHO has acknowledged that “most contacts of the nine deceased have not been identifiedand the “burial conditions” of the dead are still unknown.

According to the information gathered, the nine people who died were in contact with family members with symptoms resembling Marburg virus disease or participated in the burial of someone who may have died of this condition.

The outbreak was declared on the 13th in Equatorial Guinea and is the first of this disease in the African country, which lacks “sufficient” capacity to manage it, according to the WHO.

WHO has deployed its experts to the province of Kié-Ntem, in the west of the continental region of Equatorial Guinea (where the disease was detected), and they are working with Equatoguinean health personnel.

These teams are working on theactive case finding, contact tracing, isolation (of possible positive cases) and medical care”.

The African Union (AU) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Africa (Africa CDC) assured on the 16th that the epidemic should not “sow panic”, while acknowledging that the disease was detected in an area on porous borders with neighboring Cameroon and Gabon.

Thus, the WHO considers the risk to be “high” at the national level, “moderate” at the regional level and “low” at the global level.

Marburg is a highly contagious viral hemorrhagic fever from the same family as the better known Ebola virus disease.

The most recent outbreak of this disease was detected in Ghana in 2022. (three confirmed infections), and previously there were cases in Guinea-Conakry (2021), Uganda (2017, 2014, 2012 and 2007), Angola (2004-2005), Democratic Republic of Congo (1998 and 2000 ) and Kenya (1990). , 1987 and 1980) and South Africa (1975).

Is as deadly as ebola and it is estimated that in Africa it caused the death of more than 3,500 people.

Like Ebola, this virus causes sudden bleeding and can lead to death within dayswith an incubation period of 2 to 21 days and a mortality rate up to 88%.

Fruit bats are the natural hosts of this virus which, when transmitted to humans, can be transmitted by direct contact with fluids such as blood, saliva, vomit or urine.

The disease, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment, was detected in 1967 in the German city of Marburg -hence its name- by laboratory technicians who became infected while investigating monkeys. brought from Uganda.