GHANA – This year, two cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD) were reported in the Ashanti region of Ghana, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). These cases were reported to health authorities as suspected viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) cases which then tested positive for Marburg virus.
The WHO said a cumulative number of 108 individuals – 50 from Ashanti region, 48 from Savannah region, and 10 from the Western region – were identified as contacts of the two cases, all of whom were under self-quarantine and daily monitoring for 21 days.
The incubation period for Marburg virus disease is from two to 21 days. After that, symptoms are sudden and commence with fever, chills, headaches and myalgia. About the fifth day after the start of symptoms, a maculopapular rash, mainly on the chest, back and stomach may happen. Vomiting, sore throat, chest pain and abdominal pain might also appear. The symptoms then become worse and could sometimes include jaundice, severe weight loss, shock, multi-organ dysfunction and massive hemorrhaging.
Two large outbreaks that occurred at the same time in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1967 led to the first identification of the disease.
The spread of the disease was associated with laboratory work making use of African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda, after which outbreaks have been spotted in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa (in a person with recent travel history to Zimbabwe) and Uganda. Again, in 2008, two independent cases were reported in travellers who visited a cave inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies in Uganda.
The question is, how prepared is Nigeria if the Marburg virus were to spread to Nigeria? Nigeria has had to deal with COVID-19 and monkeypox without being totally prepared to carry the burden. And now, the WHO has declared monkeypox a global health emergency. According to media reports, about 75 countries have reported at least 16,000 cases of monkeypox currently. Monkeypox has been described as a zoonotic disease. This means that it usually spreads over from an animal reservoir to human beings. Also, important to know is that those with monkeypox who have active skin rashes, can spread the virus to others through close skin contact. Monkeypox does not have a cure and generally runs its course, healing on its own after about two to four weeks.
