Deadly Marburg virus spreads in Africa, WHO increases health surveillance

[Chris]

Deadly Marburg virus spreads in Africa, WHO increases health surveillance
There are no known treatments for this virus which has a fatality rate of 88%
By REUTERS
Published: FEBRUARY 14, 2023

The World Health Organization is increasing its epidemiological surveillance in Equatorial Guinea after the country confirmed its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, a WHO official said on Tuesday. The small Central African country has so far reported nine deaths as well as 16 suspected cases of Marburg virus disease, with symptoms including fever, fatigue and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea, according to the WHO.

"Surveillance in the field has been intensified," said George Ameh, WHO's country representative in Equatorial Guinea. "Contact tracing, as you know, is a cornerstone of the response. We have...redeployed the COVID-19 teams that were there for contact tracing and quickly retrofitted them to really help us out."

more............. https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-731599

 

[Círeth]

Hemorrhagic diseases are really nasty.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Hemorrhagic diseases are really nasty.

Sanitation, and contamination avoidance, control, and reduction (prevention), including proper protective gear by lab workers and caregivers, are key to prevention. No specific treatment other than symptomatic and supportive care (IV hydration, electrolytes, etc.). Even with the huge number of immigrants, refugees here, including from Africa, I'm not very concerned about it, so long as our medical system is intact enough that people can get IVs, etc.

Once again, bats and green monkeys. And travel to and from parts of the world where especially nasty pathogens live.


CDC Marburg page
https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/marburg/index.html

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

WHO hopes to test an experimental Marburg virus vaccine amid an outbreak in Equatorial Guinea​

Story by Aria Bendix • Yesterday [February 14, 20 6:51 PM

"The World Health Organization hopes to test an experimental Marburg vaccine in Equatorial Guinea, which announced its first outbreak of the virus Monday."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...-an-outbreak-in-equatorial-guinea/ar-AA17uk7r

 

[Círeth]

Yeah, it's deadly but much less mobile than Covid. Epidemic unlikely if handled properly.

I feel awful for those who get sick with it though. They must feel like steamroller roadkill.

 

[DWB]

The pharmaceuticals must be leaping for joy at the prospect of creating more vaccines that can be forced on people.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Yeah, I'm not panicking over this one nor taking any sort of rushed vaccine. There is a reason these sorts of diseases don't have the same impact in first world countries. Of course, give us 5 or 6 years and then maybe.... Keep poopin' in the streets and see how that works out for everyone.