WHO to hold urgent meeting over Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea
After quarantining more than 4,000 people in Equatorial Guinea, the WHO will hold an urgent meeting regarding the outbreak of the Marburg virus in the country.
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WHO announced that its global coordination mechanism, Research & Development (R&D) Blueprint, will "discuss the vaccine and therapeutic candidates" with MARVAC (Reuters)
After a health alert was declared in Equatorial Guinea's eastern province of Kie Ntem, affected by the deadly Marburg virus, and 4,325 people have been quarantined in the province, an emergency meeting will be held on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).
"We will convene an urgent meeting to outline proposed research priorities towards the newly identified Marburg outbreak in Equatorial Guinea," the UN body stated.
It announced that its global coordination mechanism, Research & Development (R&D) Blueprint, will "discuss the vaccine and therapeutic candidates" with MARVAC, the WHO-coordinated consortium for the development of a vaccine against the virus.
Nine Equatoguineans were reported to have died between 7 January and 7 February from Marburg virus, a highly virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever. Reports said that 16 people have been suspected to have cases of the virus "with symptoms including fever, fatigue, and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea".
In the meantime, the Institut Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal is analyzing other samples. In Cameroon, which neighbors Equatorial Guinea, health authorities announced last week that they had taken preventive measures.
Read: Ghana: Two test positive for highly infectious Marburg virus
Outbreaks and sporadic cases of the virus had previously been recorded in Angola, Ghana, Guinea, DR Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
It is worth noting that the Marburg virus disease has a death rate of up to 88 percent, according to the WHO. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. The virus-caused sickness manifests quickly, and after an incubation period of two to 21 days, symptoms like high fever, severe headache, and malaise, start. Many patients develop bleeding symptoms.
There is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment against the virus. However, the UN health body notes that treating specific symptoms and rehydration might increase survival chances.
The virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and is spread after direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people and infected surfaces and materials.
Check out: Marburg virus; what you need to know
