The new provisional toll of the Marburg virus disease epidemic that has been raging for more than two months in Equatorial Guinea stands at 10 confirmed deaths, the Ministry of Health said Monday.
“No cases reported in the last 48 hours, 14 positive cases accumulated”, and “10 hospitalized”, including “2 confirmed and 8 suspected”, wrote the ministry of this central African state in a report dated Sunday, and released Monday on Twitter. A new death is to be deplored, which brings to 10 the provisional death toll since the beginning of the epidemic of this virus cousin of Ebola and almost as deadly as him.
A total of “604 people” in contact cases are being monitored, compared to 825 on March 30, the ministry said. Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Equatorial Guinea to report cases of the Marburg virus due to fears of more widespread contamination than previously reported.
The UN agency was alarmed by a potential “large-scale epidemic” that could affect neighboring Gabon and Cameroon. Cases have been reported outside the province of Kié-Ntem, where it caused the first known deaths on January 7, and have even reached Bata, the country’s economic capital.
WHO announced the deployment of “additional experts” and said it was “also helping Gabon and Cameroon to strengthen preparedness and response to the epidemic. Tanzania also announced two weeks ago the beginning of a Marburg epidemic, with five deaths.
The virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and is spread in humans through direct contact with the body fluids of infected persons, or with surfaces and materials. The case fatality rate can be as high as 88%.
There is no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for the virus. However, supportive care with oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms increases the chances of survival.