The health ministry said on Monday that the latest tentative death toll from the Marburg virus outbreak, which has been raging in Equatorial Guinea for more than two months, has reached 10 confirmed deaths.
“It said it had no cases reported in the last 48 hours, 14 positive cases and 10 hospitalized, including two confirmed and eight suspected, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
A new death has been reported, bringing to 10 the provisional death toll since the beginning of the epidemic of this virus cousin of Ebola and almost as deadly as it.
A total of “604 people” in contact are being monitored, compared to 825 on 30 March, the ministry said.
Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) called on Equatorial Guinea to report cases of the Marburg virus because of fears of more widespread contamination than previously thought.
A potential “large-scale outbreak” that would affect neighboring Gabon and Cameroon concerned the UN agency. Outside of the province of Kié-Ntem, where it initially became known to have killed people on January 7th, cases have been reported as far south as Bata, the nation’s commercial hub.
As “more specialists” were being sent out, WHO stated that it was “also assisting Gabon and Cameroon to bolster readiness and response to the pandemic.”
Tanzania reportedly reported the beginning of a Marburg epidemic with five fatalities a fortnight ago.
The virus is propagated in humans by direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people as well as with surfaces and materials. It is transmitted to humans by fruit bats. The death rate in cases has reached 88%.
The virus has no licensed vaccines or antiviral medications. The odds of survival are increased by supportive care, such as oral or intravenous rehydration, and treatment of certain symptoms.
