An outbreak of the life-threatening Marburg virus, which is similar to the Ebola virus, has been diagnosed in the West African country of Guinea. The World Health Organization (WHO) comes to the rescue.
Health authorities in Guinea have reported the death of one person as a result of infection with the rare Marburg virus. It is the first death from the virus in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization.
The World Health Organization is working with authorities in Guinea, in West Africa, to ensure that the highly contagious disease does not spread.
It is important to isolate patients as quickly as possible and trace all people they have been in contact with to prevent further spread. Marburg virus can kill a healthy person within a week.
Healthcare is not up to par
“We have to stop the virus before it spreads,” Matchidiso Moeti, director of the World Health Organization’s Africa department, told the British newspaper. Watchman. “Together, we will ensure that the experience and expertise that Guinea gained during the fight against the Ebola outbreak is used to quickly eliminate the danger.”
Don’t be reassured, infectious disease specialist Erica Flegg. “The whole world is still dealing with Covid. Just imagine if this gets out of control” the morning. “Guinea has of course gone through a big Ebola epidemic, but the healthcare there certainly does not have the level of expertise, for example, Uganda, where the infrastructure to contain such a virus is much stronger.”
In 2014, the last major outbreak of Ebola began in the Guinea region. Then it led to the deaths of at least 11,000.
Death risk: 24 to 88 percent
Marburg virus is found mainly in central and eastern Africa. But the virus got its name from the German city of Marburg, where it was discovered in 1967. It happened after laboratory workers fell ill after contact with infected monkeys imported from Uganda.
Since 1967, there have been 12 major outbreaks of Marburg virus, mainly in eastern and southern Africa.
The virus leads to so-called hemorrhagic fever, which can also cause bleeding. Muscle aches and headaches are also symptoms. There is still uncertainty about the virus. The chance of dying after infection is said to be between 24 and 88 percent.
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