What Is The Marburg Virus? Two Deaths Reported In Ghana

It appears there is now a new health threat in the air with reports of two people dying from a highly-contagious Marburg virus.

In a report from Sky News, two women have allegedly died. The report further explained that people normally succumb after suffering severe blood loss on the eighth or ninth day.

Drugs and immune therapies are being developed but a vaccine has yet to be officially released.

So far, the health service of Ghana revealed that a lab has so far returned positive results of two women aged 26 and 51. Both died last month.

Authorities further added that they are isolating people close to the deceased. As of this writing, none of them have developed symptoms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) claims that the disease has an average 50% fatality rate among humans and causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever.

It usually originates from fruit bats and is spread among humans through bodily fluids and contact with materials such as bedding and clothing.

The recent report is also the second of Marburg in West Africa. The first one happened last year in Guinea. No cases followed until now.

Since 1967, there have been a dozen outbreaks, mostly in the eastern and southern parts of Africa.

"(Ghanaian) health authorities have responded swiftly, getting a head start preparing for a possible outbreak," Matshidiso Moeti, WHO chief for Africa, said. "This is good because without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of hand."

The Marburg virus starts with symptoms that include high fever, severe headache and muscle aches and pains.

The WHO adds that severe watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting can begin on the third day. This will then be followed by severe hemorrhagic manifestations" between day five and seven that may include bleeding from the nose, gums and vagina.