WHO Director-General Ghebreyesus made evaluations at the press conference held with the agenda of global health problems. Pointing out that there are 16 cases of Marburg virus detected in Equatorial Guinea so far, Ghebreyesus said that 11 of those diagnosed died.
Ghebreyesus noted that the number of possible cases in the country has been recorded as 23 since February 13, when the epidemic began, and that the most affected region in the country is the city of Bata in the Litoral province.
“A CRITICAL MOMENT HAS HAPPENED”
Noting that a total of 9 cases were reported from Litoral, Ghebreyesus announced today that a healthcare worker in Bata was infected with the Marburg virus. “WHO calls on all partners to be vigilant as there may be undetected chains of transmission in the country,” said Ghebreyesus. said.
Stating that WHO also supports the Ministry of Health in its fight against the virus, Ghebreyesus said, “There is a critical moment in Equatorial Guinea’s response to the epidemic. The government and the whole society will need efforts to stop this epidemic.” he said.
WHAT IS THE MARBURG VIRUS?
Marburg virus, which is stated to be a close relative of Ebola, was first detected in a laboratory in Marburg, Germany in 1967.
The Marburg virus, which is transmitted through fruit bats, spreads among humans through bodily fluids or contact of infected persons. Symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, weakness, and vomiting occur suddenly in infected individuals, and severe hemorrhagic symptoms develop in many patients within 7 days.
The mortality rate of Marburg virus, which does not have a vaccine or a special treatment, varies between 23 percent and 90 percent.
In the Marburg virus outbreak in Angola in 2005, 90 percent of the 252 people infected with the virus died.
Although the virus was found in a bat in the West African country of Sierra Leone in 2018, no cases were recorded among humans. (AA)