Is the Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea the next pandemic?
WHO is investigating a Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea; sending experts, providing resources, and establishing local lab facilities to identify the source and control the spread.
WHO is investigating a Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea; sending experts, providing resources, and establishing local lab facilities to identify the source and control the spread.
O n 7 February 2023, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Equatorial Guinea reported that eight people had died in two villages in the Kie-Ntem district.
Symptoms included fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and skin lesions. Samples were sent to the Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF) and Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, for testing. On 10 February, a case tested positive for Marburg virus in Dakar. As of 21 February, nine cases have occurred, with all deaths occurring either in a health facility or the community. None were healthcare workers, and 34 contacts are still being monitored.
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a potentially fatal illness caused by the Marburg virus, with a case fatality rate of up to 88%. It was first discovered in 1967 in Germany, Serbia and Belgrade, and is believed to be passed from Rousettus aegyptiacus fruit bats to humans.
CONTINUE READING...
Enjoy unlimited access now.
To get full access to this article,
simply become a member of EUROPEANS TODAY now.
By doing so, you will be supporting
our independent journalism.
MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS:
£3/month ∙ £5/month ∙ £7/month
You can cancel anytime.
BECOME A MEMBER
Already a member? Sign in here!
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP:
✅ Read exclusive member-only articles
✅ Read our daily review of the UK front pages
✅ Receive every new article by email
✅ Access all our articles
✅ Get Special Discounts with our partners
✅ Join the conversation: Comment our articles
✅ Access our archives
✅ More importantly: Support independent journalism and keep the magazine going
Read more
— Since 2018, over 170,000 people have crossed the Channel to claim asylum in the UK, yet limited safe and legal routes force many into perilous journeys, campaigners warn.
— Stay ahead of the curve with your daily briefing on the must-read headlines from across Europe. From the UK to France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and beyond — this is your essential guide to the front pages shaping the conversation today.
— Mounting economic woes, debt risks and pension pressures mean UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces tough choices: risk tax hikes or spending cuts that threaten growth, or gamble on investment-driven recovery.
— AI-driven tools like Plan AI can swiftly summarise vast public feedback on planning, easing administrative burdens for UK authorities and potentially making urban planning more efficient, democratic, and transparent.
|
|
