GHS Confirms Marburg Virus Case in Ghana
The World Health Organization (WHO) in conjunction with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed Ghana’s first Marburg virus disease.
Following the preliminary findings of two cases of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) from the Ashanti Region on 7th July 2022, samples from two patients both deceased were sent to the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal for further examination.
“The laboratory corroborated the results from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, which suggested their illness was due to the Marburg virus. One case was a 26-year-old male who checked into a hospital on 26 June 2022 and died on 27 June. The second case was a 51 -year-old male who reported to the hospital on 28 June and died on the same day. Both cases sought treatment at the same hospital within days of each other.” the statement said.
WHO has been supporting a joint national investigative team in the Ashanti Region as well as Ghana’s health authorities by deploying experts, making available personal protective equipment, bolstering disease surveillance, testing, tracing contacts, and working with communities to alert and educate them about the risks and dangers of the disease, and to collaborate with the emergency response teams. In addition, a team of WHO experts will be deployed over the next couple of days to provide coordination, risk assessment, and infection prevention measures.
“Health authorities have responded swiftly, getting a head start preparing for a possible outbreak. This is good because, without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of hand. WHO is on the ground supporting health authorities and now that the outbreak is declared, we are marshaling more resources for the response,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Read the statement below:
