The Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Director of Health, Mr Abubakari Alhasaan has, said that the District has not recorded any Marburg virus case.
Speaking to Yagbon radio on Thursday, July 21, 2022, on reported cases of Marburg virus, the District Director stated emphatically that, the District has not recorded any case but they are rather embarking on contact tracing on an imported case from the Ashanti Region where a suspected patient passed on before the results confirm positive.
According to him health officials unaware of the results of the deceased released the body to family which was subsequently buried in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.
He said his outfit has so far made a contact tracing of over 50 persons and are critically monitoring them.
Mr Alhasaan cautioned residents to stay away from bats, avoiding touched unprotective dead bodies as well as avoid hugging and handshakes, as part of efforts to contain the spread of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD).
He said it transmitted by infected persons or animals from direct contact with body fluids, blood, and other discharges from the affected person/animal.
The incubation period for the disease is two (2) to twenty-one (21) days. Treatment is symptomatic. There is currently no vaccine available.
Symptoms of Marburg virus;
-Fever
– Bloody diarrhoea,
-Bleeding from gums
-Bleeding into the skin
-Bleeding into eyes
– Bloody urine
Prevention
The disease can spread from infected animals such as bats in direct contact with blood and other body fluids including faeces of bats. The risk of bat-to-human transmission can be reduced by avoiding exposure to mines or caves inhabited by fruit bat colonies. All animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption. There is currently no vaccine available.
The public is therefore advised to avoid contact with such animals. Marburg virus disease can also spread from an infected person to another person. The public is therefore advised to avoid direct contact with persons showing the symptoms indicated above and to encourage such persons to report to the nearest health facility for appropriate assessment.
Source: yagbonradioonline
