Equatorial Guinea confirms first-ever Marburg virus illness outbreak

Brazzaville/Malabo – Equatorial Guinea in the present day confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus illness. Preliminary checks carried out following the deaths of a minimum of 9 folks within the nation’s western Kie Ntem Province turned out optimistic for the viral haemorrhagic fever.

Equatorial Guinean well being authorities despatched samples to the Institut Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal with help from World Well being Group (WHO) to find out the reason for the illness after an alert by a district well being official on 7 February. Of the eight samples examined at Institut Pasteur, one turned out optimistic for the virus. Up to now 9 deaths and 16 suspected instances with signs together with fever, fatigue and blood-stained vomit and diarrhoea have been reported.

Additional investigations are ongoing. Advance groups have been deployed within the affected districts to hint contacts, isolate and supply medical care to folks exhibiting signs of the illness. Efforts are additionally underway to quickly mount emergency response, with WHO deploying well being emergency consultants in epidemiology, case administration, an infection prevention, laboratory and threat communication to help the nationwide response efforts and safe group collaboration within the outbreak management.

WHO can be facilitating the cargo of laboratory glove tents for pattern testing in addition to one viral haemorrhagic fever package that features private protecting gear that can be utilized by 500 well being staff.

“Marburg is extremely infectious. Because of the fast and decisive motion by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the illness, emergency response can get to full steam rapidly in order that we save lives and halt the virus as quickly as attainable,” mentioned Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Marburg virus illness is a extremely virulent illness that causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of as much as 88%. It’s in the identical household because the virus that causes Ebola virus illness. Sickness attributable to Marburg virus begins abruptly, with excessive fever, extreme headache and extreme malaise. Many sufferers develop extreme haemorrhagic signs inside seven days. The virus is transmitted to folks from fruit bats and spreads amongst people via direct contact with the bodily fluids of contaminated folks, surfaces and supplies.

There are not any vaccines or antiviral therapies accredited to deal with the virus. Nevertheless, supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and therapy of particular signs, improves survival. A variety of potential therapies, together with blood merchandise, immune therapies and drug therapies, in addition to candidate vaccines with section 1 knowledge are being evaluated.