The World Health Organization has announced the first outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus disease in Ghana, after laboratories confirmed infections in two cases announced earlier this month. The disease, a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever in the same family as Ebola, is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and is spread between people through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people and surfaces, the WHO said. A preliminary analysis of samples from two patients from the southern Ashanti region of Ghana — who died and were unrelated — came back positive, but they were forwarded for full confirmation to the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal. This UN health agency laboratory confirmed the results of the Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute in Ghana, the WHO said in a statement on Sunday. The first case was a 26-year-old man who was admitted to hospital on 26 June and died on 27 June. The second was a 51-year-old man who went to hospital on June 28 and died the same day, WHO said, adding that both men sought treatment at the same hospital. “Health authorities have responded quickly, vigorously preparing for a potential outbreak,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti. “This is good because without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of control. WHO is on the ground supporting health authorities and now that the outbreak has been announced, we are mobilizing more resources for the response.” More than 90 contacts, including health workers and community members, have been traced and are being traced, the WHO said. Marburg is potentially very harmful and deadly: Mortality rates in previous outbreaks ranged from 24% to 88%. This outbreak marks only the second time the disease has been detected in West Africa — after Guinea confirmed a single case detected in August, according to the WHO. The outbreak in Guinea was announced more than five weeks later. Previous Marburg outbreaks and isolated cases have occurred in Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the WHO said.
