WHO-registered Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea

The World Health Organization (WHO) held an emergency meeting on Tuesday (14) to determine research priorities for dealing with the Marburg virus outbreak recently detected in Equatorial Guinea. from the same family as Ebola, the virus has already killed nine people and led the African country to declare a health alert.

Considered one of the deadliest in the world, The average mortality rate of Marburg virus is 50%.However, depending on the variant and the medical care provided to those infected, it can reach 88%. According to the Lusa news agency, the Ministry of Health of Equatorial Guinea considered the incident “an atypical epidemiological situation”.

Equatorial Guinea, one of the nine countries in the world where Portuguese is one of the official languages, is located in Central Africa. Confirmation of the virus diagnosis came from a laboratory in Senegal after analyzing biological material from two people from the city of Nsok Nsomo, who died on January 7 and February 7.

How is Marburg virus transmitted?

People killed in Equatorial Guinea showed signs of fever, malaise, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. signs of hemorrhagic feverOne of the main features of the disease caused by the Marburg virus, which took its “name” from a small German town where it was first documented in 1967.

Zoonosis is transmitted to humans by bats and primates, among which transmission occurs through materials and surfaces such as bodily fluids or bedding from infected individuals. Now, There is no vaccine or licensed medicine for the treatment of Marburg, however, rehydration can relieve symptoms and increase the chances of survival.

WHO has pledged to send professionals to help fight the disease in Equatorial Guinea.