The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Equatorial Guinea government officials have confirmed the outbreak of the highly contagious and deadly Marburg virus, a disease similar to Ebola.
Initial tests sent to the Institute Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal, with support from WHO, following the mysterious deaths of at least nine people in Equatorial Guinea’s western Kie-Ntem Province, came back positive for the deadly viral hemorrhagic fever.
Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. Many patients develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days. The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
According to WHO, there are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat Marburg virus disease, that has a fatality rate of up to 88%. So far, only supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improves chances of patients’ survival.
So far, 9 fatalities and 16 suspected cases with symptoms including fever, fatigue and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea have been confirmed in the country.
Equatorial Guinea’s authorities quarantined over 200 people and restricted movement in its Kie-Ntem province. Neighboring Cameroon also restricted movement along its border over concerns about contagion.
“Thanks to the rapid and decisive action by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease, emergency response can get to full steam quickly,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, declared in the official statement.