Ghana Declares Free Of Marburg Virus, Which Was Transmitted By Bats Similar To Ebola

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Government of Ghana) announced that there were no active cases of the Ebola-like Marburg virus after the last infected person was declared cured.

The Ghana Health Service's announcement follows World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, which say if there are no new cases within 42 days of the last negative test result, a country can be declared outbreak-free.

According to health authorities, Ghana confirmed its first case of the Marburg virus on July 4 and since then three cases have been reported with two deaths.

All 198 contacts have been identified in the four districts and 118 people have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up and were discharged.

"The remaining contacts are still being followed up and none of them have developed symptoms," according to the service's statement quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, August 13.

According to WHO, Marburg virus disease causes severe dengue fever with an average human mortality rate of 50 percent.

The Marburg virus is transmitted to humans by fruit-eating bats and is spread among humans through contact with bodily fluids and various objects, such as bedding and clothing.

In West Africa, this is the second Marburg outbreak. The region's first case was confirmed in Guinea last year and no new cases have been reported.

There is no known cure or vaccine for Marburg's disease.