WHO says Equatorial Guinea confirms 1st outbreak of Marburg, 9 dead, Know symptoms,treatment

Atleast nine people have died of Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed its first ever outbreak in the tiny Western African country.

In a statement, WHO confirmed the epidemic after samples from Equatorial Guinea were sent to a lab in Senegal.

“Marburg is highly infectious. Thanks to the rapid and decisive action by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease, emergency response can get to full steam quickly so that we save lives and halt the virus as soon as possible,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

All you need to know about the disease

What is the Marburg virus?

Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88 percent. It is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease.

Symptoms of Marburg Virus

Illness caused by the virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise.

Treatment
There are no authorized vaccines or drugs to treat Marburg, but rehydration treatment to alleviate symptoms can improve the chances of survival.

The rare virus was first identified in 1967 after it caused simultaneous outbreaks of disease in laboratories in Marburg, Germany and Belgrade, Serbia. Seven people died who were exposed to the virus while conducting research on monkeys.