2023-06-09 05:46:00
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday (June 8) declared the end of the Marburg virus epidemic in Equatorial Guinea which has left 12 confirmed dead and 23 probably due to the disease, four months following the first cases in this small country in central Africa.
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| Logo of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva. |
| Photo: AFP/VNA/CVN |
“The Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea ended today as no new cases were reported for the past 42 days following the last patient was discharged from treatment.“, writes the UN organization in a press release.
“The outbreak, which was declared on February 13, was the first of its kind in Equatorial Guinea“, continues the WHO six days following declaring in Tanzania the end of this epidemic of hemorrhagic disease due to a virus cousin of Ebola and almost as deadly as it.
“A total of 17 cases have been laboratory confirmed and 12 deaths have been recorded. Additionally, the 23 reported probable cases have all died.“, adds the press release.
Four of the eight provinces of this small oil-rich state, split between an island part and a mainland part in the Gulf of Guinea, were affected, including the district of Bata, the economic capital and second city of the country, according to the WHO.
The organization had deployed a large number of doctors and experts as soon as the epidemic was declared, in support of the Equatoguinean health teams.
“Although the outbreak is over, WHO continues to work with Equatorial Guinea to keep measures such as surveillance and testing in place to enable rapid response in the event of a resurgence of the virus.“, continues the press release.
Close to Ebola
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| In Africa, the first outbreak of Marburg was recorded in South Africa in 1975, followed by two others in Kenya in the 1980s. |
| Photo: AFP/VNA/CVN |
Marburg virus belongs to the same family as the virus responsible for Ebola virus disease. This virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with infected people’s bodily fluids, surfaces and materials.
In Africa, the first outbreak of Marburg was recorded in South Africa in 1975, followed by two others in Kenya in the 1980s.
Since then, outbreaks have been reported in Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and more recently in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, explains the world organization.
There are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments to fight the virus. However, supportive care – oral or intravenous rehydration – and treatment of specific symptoms increase the chances of survival.
On June 2, the WHO declared the end of the Marburg virus epidemic in Tanzania, which had resulted in six confirmed deaths in two months.
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