WHO sounds alarm over Marburg virus outbreak in Guinea

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World Health Organization to hold emergency meeting regarding outbreak of Marburg virus, “relative”

“WHO convenes emergency meeting of vaccine consortium to discuss new outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea” ;, — said in the statement.

The first outbreak of Marburg virus disease has been confirmed in Guinea, according to the World Health Organization. The virus has caused at least nine deaths and 16 more cases are suspected.

Laboratory samples confirmed the outbreak following a February 7 warning from a local health official. WHO is sending experts to help stop the outbreak.

“The Marburg virus is highly contagious. Thanks to the Equatorial Guinea authorities' quick and decisive action to confirm the disease, the response can quickly turn to full capacity so that we can save lives and stop the virus as soon as possible,” — said WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.

WHO is stepping up surveillance in the small African country amid the outbreak, according to Reuters.

“Contact tracing, as you know, is key response stone. We redeployed the COVID-19 teams that were there for contact tracing and quickly upgraded them so they could help,” said George Ameh, WHO Representative in Equatorial Guinea.

Recall last week Equatorial Guinea has quarantined more than 200 people and restricted movement in the province of Kié Ntem after the discovery of an unknown hemorrhagic fever. The first outbreak of the Marburg virus disease was officially announced on Monday. Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting with krosi and diarrhea.

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