• Ghana has confirmed its first two cases of Marburg virus, World Health Organization (WHO) says.
• Two unrelated patients from Ghana’s southern Ashanti region tested positive for the virus and later died.
• Virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and can then be spread human-to-human.

Ghana has confirmed its first two cases of the highly infectious Marburg virus disease, according to a statement issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday.

The announcement comes after two unrelated patients from Ghana’s southern Ashanti region tested positive for the virus and later died.

The patients had diarrhoea, fever, nausea, and vomiting, according to WHO, who added that more than 90 contacts are being monitored.

According to WHO, Marburg is a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever in the same family as the more well-known Ebola virus disease, with a fatality rate of up to 88 percent. The illness “begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache, and malaise,” according to the report.

According to WHO, the virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and can then be spread human-to-human through direct contact with infected people’s bodily fluids or surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.

The World Health Organization stated that containment measures were being implemented and that additional resources would be deployed in response to the outbreak in Ghana. The WHO also warned that “without immediate and decisive action, Marburg could quickly spiral out of control.”

The Marburg virus has no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments. However, according to WHO, a patient’s chances of survival can be improved with care such as oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms.

To help reduce the risk of the virus spreading, the Ghana Health Service has urged Ghanaians to avoid mines and caves inhabited by fruit bats and to thoroughly cook all meat products before consumption. According to the health service, fruit bats are natural hosts of the Marburg virus.

The Ghana outbreak is only the second in West Africa, following the discovery of the virus in Guinea last year. The virus also killed the patient in the Guinea outbreak. Guinean health officials confirmed no additional cases.

Previous outbreaks have been reported in Uganda, Kenya, Angola, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Angola outbreak in 2005 was the deadliest, killing over 200 people.

According to WHO, countries at higher risk of virus resurgence have been contacted and are “on alert.”

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