Ghana and possible Marburg outbreak
Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida
Modern Tokyo Times
Ghana is preparing for a possible Marburg outbreak. This comes after two people died from suspected Marburg. Samples from both patients taken by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research indicate that both patients had Marburg. Therefore, both samples have been urgently sent to the Institut Pasteur in Senegal (World Health Organization Collaborating Center) for verification.
Both patients who died come from the Ashanti region of Ghana. They both suffered the traits of Marburg concerning diarrhea, severe fever, nausea, and spewing up. Other symptoms include bleeding from the gums, bloody urine, blood in diarrhea, bleeding of the skin, and other related areas.
Voice of America reports, “Marburg virus is transmitted by infected persons or animals from direct contact with body fluids, blood and other discharges from the affected person or animal. The incubation period for the disease is two to 21 days.”
Case fatality rates vary greatly depending on the strains. However, with a case fatality rate between 24 percent to 88 percent – and with both cases in Ghana (reported in this nation for the first time) resulting in death – then the situation is urgent.
UN News reports, “Although there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus, supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. A range of potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies, and drug therapies.”
The Ghana Health Service said, “No new cases have been reported since the two samples were taken two weeks ago.”
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