WHO convenes an ‘urgent’ meeting to discuss the Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea

The WHO announced an emergency meeting on Tuesday after nine people died in a month of the disease caused by the Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea, a haemorrhagic fever almost as deadly as Ebola.

In a brief statement, the World Health Organization indicated that it would convene an “emergency meeting” of the consortium called Marvac, which promotes international collaboration for the development of vaccines against the Marburg virus.

The consortium is coordinated by the WHO and includes representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, non-profit organisations, authorities and academia.

Its members will make a balance of the epidemiological situation in Equatorial Guinea, as well as the possible treatments and vaccines available, indicated the WHO.

There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus. However, supportive care – oral or intravenous rehydration – and treatment of specific symptoms increase the chances of survival.

According to WHO, a number of potential treatments are being evaluated, including blood products, immune therapies and drugs, as well as candidate vaccines with phase 1 data.

nine infected

On February 13, Equatorial Guinea announced the death in the east of the country of nine people between January 7 and February 7 of the Marburg virus disease. According to the WHO, this is the “first epidemic of Marburg virus disease” in this small African country, located in the center-west of the continent.

The Marburg virus (EMV) is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and is spread in humans by direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, or with surfaces and materials.

This highly virulent disease causes hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of up to 88%.

Symptoms

MVS begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache, and great malaise, as well as frequent muscle aches. On the third day, intense watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting may appear. Diarrhea can persist for a week. In this phase it has been described that patients have a ‘ghost appearance’ due to sunken eyes, facial inexpressiveness and extreme lethargy, the WHO explains about the symptoms of the disease. (YO)