Equatorial Guinea Responds to Marburg Virus Outbreak​​​​​​

On Tuesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced the deployment of a team of experts in Equatorial Guinea to help the country respond to a Marburg virus disease outbreak.

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The announcement came after the Health Ministry reported a confirmed Marburg virus disease outbreak in the Kie-Ntem province. 

Noting that the outbreak is the first that has ever been declared in Equatorial Guinea, the Africa CDC said that the source of the outbreak is still unclear and genome sequencing results are still pending.

One confirmed case, 16 suspected cases, and nine deaths have been reported from two communities in the province, according to figures from the Africa CDC.

It said no vaccine or specific treatment for the Marburg virus disease is available and that supportive therapy should be initiated immediately for any individuals presenting with Marburg virus disease symptoms.

The same infection prevention and control protocols as other viral hemorrhagic fevers, including the Ebola virus, should be used to prevent transmission of the Marburg virus, the Africa CDC said.

The Africa CDC said it has engaged with the ministry of health and social welfare of Equatorial Guinea and relevant ministries of neighboring countries, mainly Gabon and Cameroon, to address the cross-border context of the outbreak, and guide regional surveillance strategies in containing the outbreak.

Marburg virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness in humans and is a zoonotic hemorrhagic disease caused by the Marburg virus, which is transmitted to people usually from fruit bats, according to the Africa CDC.

Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids from infected persons or contact with equipment and other materials contaminated with infectious blood or tissues, infected blood, and body fluids of infected people.