Il virus Marburg WHO continues to worry. Since the alarm was raised in 2021 following the first Marburg victim, the virus has not stopped and has continued to pose a threat to people’s health in Africa. WHO returns to focus on Marburg after months of silence to report new infections. According to theWorld Health Organization in fact, African authorities may be hiding cases of infection and victims of the Marburg virus for some reason.
The Marburg virus thus marks yet another concern for the African area and beyond, in an era that has already been consigned to pandemics.
What is Marburg virus?
Il virus Marburgknown as Marburg marburgvirus (MARV), is the cause of Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever.
The virus was discovered (that is, described) for the first time in 1967, only following two epidemics of hemorrhagic fever which occurred simultaneously in some laboratories in Frankfurt and Marburg (Germany), and in Belgrade in Serbia (ex-Yugoslavia). As recalled by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, on that occasion there were 31 infections and 7 deaths.
From 1967 to today there have been sporadic episodes of outbreaks, which in recent times have however seen the number of cases grow.
New cases of Marburg: what WHO says
Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they are currently there 9 cases reported in Equatorial Guinea and 7 recognized deaths. The particularity of the reported cases – and from this given the WHO’s concern for Marburg disease – is the distance between them.
In fact, the reports come from 3 provinces 150 kilometers away from each other, as proof of a wider transmission of the virus. The WHO has in fact declared that it is aware of further cases not officially reported by the local government. Michael Ryan, director of emergencies at WHO, wanted to recall that countries have theobligation to report information on infections and that delays can be a serious damage to the fight against the disease.
What do we know about Marburg disease?
Of the virus and the disease Marburg we know that it is transmitted in densely populated environments. There transmission it occurs through injured skin or the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth through liquids such as blood or other body fluids. Contact with contaminated surfaces and objects, such as clothes and bedding, also allows transmission.
I symptoms (after an incubation period of 5-10 days) are similar to those of other hemorrhagic fevers, such as those caused by Ebola. Symptoms include:
- high fever (39° and above)
- severe headache
- chills
- general malaise
- muscle aches
- nausea and vomit
- diarrhea
- maculopapular rash (from the seventh day)
- haemorrhagic fever (petechiae, mucosal and gastrointestinal bleeding)
Finally, symptoms such as disorientation, convulsions and agitation may occur. A vaccine has not yet been formulated since 1967. For the Marburg disease there are also no approved antiviral therapies, only supportive and survival care. L’World Health Organization however, it is discussing the possibility of starting studies on vaccines and treatments, but it is also waiting for cases to be able to monitor and for this reason the request to the local governments involved is not to hide the data in their possession.
