Ghana wins battle against Marburg virus

The World Health Organization has announced an end to the outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in Ghana. This follows six consecutive weeks of no reported case of Marburg virus in the country.

The first outbreak was in Guinea in September of last year. After that, the West African bloc June this year recorded three cases of the Marburg virus

Read full articlewhich eventually led to the death of two people.

Speaking at a press conference Friday in Accra, the head of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said having passed the mandatory 42-day period without a new case, the country is now free of the virus.

"I do hereby state that, the appropriate outbreak reasons to Marburg disease have been implemented during the 42 days, following the last negative PCR test result for the sole surviving patient with recommendation from WHO," he said.

He added, "Ghana has, therefore, successfully interrupted the first Marburg virus disease outbreak and hereby declare that the outbreak is over."

A total of 198 people were tested for the virus when it first broke in Ghana. They all tested negative.

Marburg is a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever in the same family as Ebola. The symptoms of Marburg include diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting.

Currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for Marburg, but WHO says supportive care, rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and treatment of specific symptoms improves the rate of survival.

EAN/FNOQ