Marburg virus spread according to the Ghana Health Service is currently under surveillance and control. The Ghana Health Service says with the three confirmed cases that led to two deaths, other traced contacts have tested negative.
Contained in a statement released updating the public on the Marburg virus states, “Initially, 118 contacts were identified and followed up, including the two who later tested positive. The remaining 116 contacts have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up and are all well. Sixteen (16) contacts including health workers have been randomly tested and are all negative.”
Three confirmed cases, “the first is a 26-year-old male, got ill on 22 June 2022 and later bled from the nose and mouth, was admitted to a hospital in Ashanti Region on 26 June 2022 and died 28 hours after admission”.
The second case of the Marburg virus infection was a son to the first cast, a one year, two months old baby got ill, was admitted to the hospital and died.
The third case is a 24-year-old female (mother of Case 3 and wife of Case 1). “She is alive and well. She has since Tuesday 26th July 2022 been in a government-designated isolation centre, and is being managed with full implementation of strict infection prevention and control measures”.
“Sixteen (16) contacts, including healthcare workers, were randomly tested and are all negative. A new set of 81 contacts for two of the cases are currently under follow-up”.
Ghana according to the Ghana Health Service has demonstrated capacity to respond to public health emergency.
Marburg virus is in the Filoviridae family (filovirus) with the Ebola virus. Though caused by different viruses, the two diseases are clinically similar. Symptoms include bleeding from the nose, gums, sustained high fevers. Involvement of the central nervous system, confusion, irritability, and aggression.
