By Mark N. Mengonfia mmenginfia@gmail.com
MONROVIA-Authorities at the Ministry of Health are calling on citizens of the Country to take all necessary measures as an outbreak of another new disease has been confirmed in Guinea-next to Liberia.
Appearing on state radio Wednesday, August 11, Dr. Francis Kerteh said
Recently, Liberians health team had to vaccinate members of their team with an Ebola vaccine to protect them of the new EVD outbreak again in Guinea.
Breaking another news that a strange sickness name ‘Marburg virus disease’ caught the attention of the health ministry. The Chief media officer of Liberia said it was important to have Liberians informed about the new outbreak to take the necessary preventive measures against it.
According to him, the disease was discovered in Guéckédou Prefecture, Nzérékoré Region, south-western Guinea, but said unfortunately the carrier died of the virus.
He said the individual was tested and proven positive of the new virus which is seminal to the Ebola virus disease.
This is the first known case of Marburg virus disease in Guinea and in West Africa.
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a highly virulent, epidemic-prone disease associated with high case fatality rates (CFR 24-90%). In the early course of the disease, clinical diagnosis of MVD is difficult to distinguish from other tropical febrile illnesses, because of the similarities in the clinical symptoms.
Differential diagnoses to be excluded include, Ebola virus disease, as well as malaria, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, rickettsial infection, and plague. MVD is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids and/or tissues of infected persons or wild animals (e.g. monkeys and fruit bats).
Currently, there is no specific therapeutic or drug approved for MVD. Nevertheless, supportive care including: close monitoring of vital signs, fluid resuscitation, electrolyte and acid base monitoring along with management of co-infections and organ dysfunction, are critical components of care and optimize patient outcomes and survival. Some monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) are under development and other antivirals are being explored for MVD (e.g. Galidesvir, Favipiravir, Remdesivir) as part of** clinical trials, but without clear results in the current moment more evidence and further studies are required. However, these should only be used as part of a randomized controlled trial.
Marburg cases are extremely rare with the last major outbreak in Angola in 2005.
It is a severe, often fatal illness with symptoms including headache, fever, muscle pains, vomiting blood and bleeding. As it is now, No treatment yet exists for Marburg but doctors say drinking plenty of water and treating specific symptoms improves a patient’s chances of survival.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.