Equatorial Guinea, a West Africa Country, has reported the first case of Marburg virus in its history.
The confirmation came just a few days after a health officers raised concerns over unexplained deaths in his division. According to reports by the World Health Organization, samples from nine people that had died mysteriously turned out positive of the highly fatal Marburg virus.
With the help of World Health Organization, Equatorial Guinea health authorities sent samples from the dead to Institut Pasteur Reference Laboratory based in Senegal. Out of the eight samples that were sent to testing, one sample tested positive of Marburg virus.
The country health officials have so far reported nine deaths and sixteen suspected cases whereby individuals are expressing Marburg like symptoms.
People suffering from Marburg virus experience fever, blood in vomits and diarrhea and fatigue.
To curb further spread of the deadly virus, the government has dispatched health officials in the affected areas to isolate suspected cases and collect samples for testing.
The World Health Organization is also helping the country’s health officials in shipping laboratory glove tents and hemorrhagic fever test kit fitted with personal protective equipment with a capacity of being used by 500 health workers.
The deadly virus originates from fruit bats and belongs to the same family with Ebola Virus which has been causing havoc in a couple of countries in West Africa. Once in human beings, the virus is spread from person to another through direct contact of body fluids and surfaces.
Currently, there is no treatment or vaccination for the viral disease but health professionals offer supportive care to patients and treatment of symptoms to increase survival chances.
