The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed, this Thursday (23/3), that eight more people have been diagnosed with Marburg disease in Equatorial Guinea. In all, the country has nine confirmed cases in the laboratory and another 20 under investigation.
The new cases were identified in two different provinces, which are regarding 150 kilometers apart, suggesting there is widespread transmission of the virus in the country, say WHO officials.
“The confirmation of these new cases is a critical signal to step up response efforts to quickly break the chain of transmission,” said WHO Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti in a statement.
Marburg is a virus in the same family as Ebola. The death rate of the virus reaches 88% among infected people. Symptoms are fever, fatigue, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. There are still no vaccines or antiviral treatments.
The microorganism is transmitted to people by fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with infected body fluids, surfaces and materials. (With information from Archyde.com agency)
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