WHO confirms OUTBREAK of Marburg disease in Equatorial Guinea - Everything you need to know

Marburg's illness symptoms include nausea, vomiting, chest discomfort, a sore throat, stomach pain, and diarrhea, according to the CDC. Jaundice, pancreatic inflammation, extreme weight loss, disorientation, shock, liver failure, extensive bleeding, and multiple organ malfunction are among the symptoms that worsen over time.

Malabo: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the first-ever Marburg illness epidemic, which resulted in at least 9 fatalities, in Equatorial Guinea. After samples of the Ebola-related virus from Equatorial Guinea were sent to a lab in Senegal last week, the global health organization confirmed the epidemic. The FDA added that there were currently 16 suspected cases, each with symptoms such as fever, exhaustion, diarrhea, and vomiting. WHO sent medical specialists to Equatorial Guinea to assist authorities in containing the outbreak.

What is the Marburg Disease?

The Marburg virus, like Ebola, originates in bats and spreads through intimate contact between individuals, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, Marburg is a hemorrhagic illness that can harm internal organs and result in bleeding. It belongs to the filovirus family and is a zoonotic virus.

Signs of the Marburg Disease

Marburg illness symptoms include nausea, vomiting, chest discomfort, a sore throat, stomach pain, and diarrhoea, according to the CDC. Jaundice, pancreatic inflammation, extreme weight loss, disorientation, shock, liver failure, extensive bleeding, and multiple organ malfunction are among the symptoms that worsen over time.

Key information on the Marburg virus from the WHO:

Humans are susceptible to the severe, frequently fatal sickness known as Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever.

Around 50% of MVD cases end in death on average.

Early supportive care combined with symptomatic therapy and rehydration increases survival.

Although a number of blood products, immunological treatments, and pharmacological therapies are actively being developed, there is currently no licensed treatment that has been demonstrated to neutralize the virus.

Source: TimesNow