GHS issues alert on deadly Marburg virus

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has issued an alert on the deadly Marburg virus disease to its regional directors following the death of a patient of the virus in Guinea.

The GHS is asking health facilities in the country to initiate preparedness and response plans for the virus.

Marburg virus is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the Filoviridae family of viruses and a member of the species Marburg marburgvirus, genus Marburgvirus.

Marburg virus causes Marburg virus disease in humans and other primates, a form of viral hemorrhagic fever.

The virus is considered to be extremely dangerous.

In the meantime, the GHS wants Ghanaians to follow these steps to stay safe.

- Avoid contact with body fluids (such as urine, saliva, sweat, faeces, vomit, breast milk, and semen) of people who show any of the symptoms above

- Practice hand hygiene: frequent hand washing with soap and under running water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

- Do not handle items that may have come in context with an infected person's body fluids

- Avoid contact with dead bodies, including participating in funeral or burial rituals of suspected or confirmed Marburg cases

- Seek medical care immediately (nearest health facility) if one develops fever (body temperature 38 degrees Celsius or above) or other symptoms such as headache, fatigue (feeling very tired), muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach plain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising