Is the Marburg Virus The Next Pandemic?
Science/Medical/Technology
Saturday 25th, March 2023
The Marburg virus has been slowly increasing it's foot print the past few years and some scientists seem to think it will spread internationally.
The latest confirmed cases come from Equatorial Guinea in west Africa where eight confirmed cases of Marburg have been detected which marks Equatorial Guinea's second outbreak of the virus since February.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that the cases in west Africa are spread over a large are, approximately 100 miles "suggesting wider transmission of the virus".
The cases in west Africa were found in provinces bordering neighbouring countries, which means that "the risk of international spread cannot be ruled out".
This outbreak comes days after the east African country of Tanzania announced it's first outbreak of the Marburg virus where 8 cases were confirmed and 5 of these individuals unfortunately died from the virus.
The first outbreak in Equatorial Guinea had nine people die from the Marburg virus after testing positive for the virus. Bringing to a total of lab confirmed cases of 20 probable cases since the outbreak in February 2023.
WHO have confirmed of the confirmed cases that seven have died while all probable cases are dead. Bases on the numbers from WHO it suggests that 32 people in Africa have died from the Marburg virus since February 2023.
Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that samples from both countries are being sequenced to see if the outbreaks are linked.
The is currently no treatment or vaccine for the Marburg virus which is transmitted between humans by direct contact with bodily fluids, surfaces and materials the WHO have said.
There have been a dozen major Marburg outbreaks since it was discovered in Marburg, Germany, in 1967.
Cases have mostly been in southern and eastern Africa, including Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the WHO have said.
The latest confirmed cases come from Equatorial Guinea in west Africa where eight confirmed cases of Marburg have been detected which marks Equatorial Guinea's second outbreak of the virus since February.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that the cases in west Africa are spread over a large are, approximately 100 miles "suggesting wider transmission of the virus".
The cases in west Africa were found in provinces bordering neighbouring countries, which means that "the risk of international spread cannot be ruled out".
This outbreak comes days after the east African country of Tanzania announced it's first outbreak of the Marburg virus where 8 cases were confirmed and 5 of these individuals unfortunately died from the virus.
The first outbreak in Equatorial Guinea had nine people die from the Marburg virus after testing positive for the virus. Bringing to a total of lab confirmed cases of 20 probable cases since the outbreak in February 2023.
WHO have confirmed of the confirmed cases that seven have died while all probable cases are dead. Bases on the numbers from WHO it suggests that 32 people in Africa have died from the Marburg virus since February 2023.
Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that samples from both countries are being sequenced to see if the outbreaks are linked.
The is currently no treatment or vaccine for the Marburg virus which is transmitted between humans by direct contact with bodily fluids, surfaces and materials the WHO have said.
There have been a dozen major Marburg outbreaks since it was discovered in Marburg, Germany, in 1967.
Cases have mostly been in southern and eastern Africa, including Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the WHO have said.
