Two people die of suspected Marburg virus in Ghana- Check Symptoms, Spread and Treatment

Marburg Virus 2022: The World Health Organisation confirmed on July 7, 2022 that Ghana has reported two suspected cases of deadly Marburg Virus. Both the patients, now deceased, tested positive for Marburg as per the preliminary analysis of their samples. If confirmed these would the first such infections recorded in the Western African country. 

Marburg is a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever, which belongs to the same family as the Ebola virus disease. WHO stated that the organisation is working with health authorities on assessing the situation and preparing for possible outbreak response.

If these two cases are confirmed to be Marburg virus cases, this would mark the second time Marburg virus has been detected in West Africa. Guinea had confirmed the first case of the extremely contagious virus in September 2021, five weeks after the case was detected.

READ: West Africa reports first case of Marburg Virus – All you need to know

Preliminary findings of #Marburg virus in #Ghana. @WHO is working with health authorities on assessing the situation and preparing for a possible outbreak response. https://t.co/Pn4XYBWTWL

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros)
July 7, 2022

Marburg Virus Cases in Ghana

The preliminary analysis of the samples taken from the two suspected patients by Ghana’s Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research indicated the cases were positive for Marburg. 

The samples have though been sent to the Institut Pasteur in Senegal, a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for confirmation as per the standard procedure. The two patients belong to the southern Ashanti region in Ghana. 

They both had shown Marburg virus symptoms including fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. They had been taken to a district hospital in Ashanti region. 

Dr. Francis Kasolo, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Ghana said, “We are working closely with the country to ramp up detection, track contacts, be ready to control the spread of the virus.”

The World Health Organisation is deploying experts to support Ghana’s health authorities by increasing disease surveillance by testing and tracing contacts and preparing to treat possible patients. WHO is also working with communities to alert and educate them about the risks and dangers of the disease. 

What is Marburg virus?

The Marburg virus disease is an extremely infectious hemorrhagic fever that belongs to the same family as Ebola virus. 

How does Marburg virus spread?

The Marburg virus spreads to people through fruit bats. The Marburg virus human-to-human transmission takes place through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people and surfaces. The virus has an incubation period of two to 21 days.

The Marburg virus can spread through prolonged exposure to caves or mines that are inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies. Once a person is infected, the virus can spread from human-to-human contact through blood, bodily fluids, broken skin, secretions, organs or surfaces such as clothing and bedding contaminated by the infected person.

Marburg Virus severity 

The Marburg virus case fatality rates vary from 24 percent to 88 percent in the past outbreaks depending on virus strain and case management. The patients reportedly die between 8 to 9 days after the onset of the symptoms in cases of severe hemorrhagic cases.

Marburg Virus previous outbreaks

There have been previous outbreaks of Marburg in Africa in Angola, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa and Uganda.

Marburg Virus treatment

There are Marburg virus vaccine or antiviral treatments that have been approved to treat the virus. The Marburg virus cases are presently treated with supportive care and treatment of specific symptoms.