The World Health Organization (WHO) has “intensified” surveillance after Equatorial Guinea confirmed an outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola, which killed nine people in the African country.
The UN agency convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday with a representative of the Marburg virus vaccine consortium (MARVAC) to discuss the vaccine and therapeutic solutions to the virus and outline research priorities.
“Surveillance in the field has been intensified,” said George Ameh, WHO’s country representative in Equatorial Guinea. “Contact tracing, as you know, is a cornerstone of the response. We have … redeployed the COVID-19 teams that were there for contact tracing and quickly retrofitted them to really help us out.”
The WHO also deployed health emergency experts in epidemiology, case management, infection prevention, laboratory and risk communication to boost the country’s response.
Last week, Equatorial Guinea…
2023-02-15 06:46:40
Link from www.aljazeera.com
The Marburg virus, a rare and often deadly form of the Ebola virus, has been detected in Equatorial Guinea, prompting increased surveillance measures by health agencies in the country.
Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Health confirmed on April 25 that the Marburg virus had been identified in both humans and apes in the mainland province of Bioko Norte. The outbreak began in late March after three medical workers were infected while treating a patient in a local hospital. The affected individuals have since been treated, and none have died.
Marburg is a highly contagious virus and can cause serious and possibly fatal hemorrhagic fevers in humans. Early symptoms include fever, headache, chills, and sore throat. The virus can be spread through contact with the blood and body tissues of an infected person, as well as contact with animals, such as monkeys and fruit bats.
In response to the outbreak, the government has implemented “heightened surveillance” in the affected areas. Surveillance teams have been tasked with taking blood samples from residents, in order to identify those who may have been exposed to the virus. In addition, health practitioners have been trained to recognize the virus’s signs and symptoms, so they can quickly identify and isolate those infected.
The government is also focusing on prevention measures. In the affected areas, health workers are promoting better hygiene practices, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with animals and insect bites. They are also educating the public on the importance of seeking treatment immediately if any signs or symptoms of Marburg appear.
The announcement of the Marburg outbreak means that Equatorial Guinea is now the sixth African country that has seen outbreaks of the virus in the past few years. Other affected countries include Angola, Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.
Marburg is a serious and often deadly virus. As such, it’s essential that health agencies continue to take proactive steps in order to identify and control its spread. For now, it’s critical that individuals in affected areas take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families.