Also, sub-regional solidarity and exchange would not only help countries in combating the virus, but would greatly help in knowing all that matters about a particular virus.
It is in the news that health officials in Ghana have sounded the alarm about the outbreak of a highly infectious Marburg virus in the country. The news comes after two people, who later died tested, positive for the virus earlier this month.
At the moment, a total of 98 people identified as contact cases are currently under quarantine, the Ghana Health Service said, noting that no other cases of Marburg had yet been detected in the country.
Officials in the country should take this alert very seriously and put in place measures to keep the virus at bay. They should immediately put measures and vigilant about travelling coming to the country.
Looking at our porous borders, we can't afford to continue allowing people without going any form of testing.
Passengers travelling through our land, air and even sea borders especially from the subregion should undergo some form of testing to ascertain their health status.
So far what experts say about the virus is that it is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
No treatment yet exists for Marburg, but doctors say drinking water and treating some of the symptoms improve survival rates.
According to the Centre for Disease Control, the Marburg virus disease is a severe hemorrhagic fever that is caused by the Marburg virus. It was first identified in 1967 in Germany and what was then Yugoslavia after research on imported African green monkeys, the Marburg virus is from the same family as Ebola.
This clearly tells a lot about this infectious disease. We must bear in mind that disease knows no boundary and people should be vigilant about the countries they visit. To prevent one from contracting the virus, it is important that people adhere to extremely stringent infection control measures to avoid people being in contact with each other.
Authorities should work together in a form of sub-regional solidarity in disease outbreak of this nature. Exchange of pertinent and timely information would not only strengthen timely response to the virus, help the public to know more about the virus.
Therefore, let’s join efforts by intensifying our surveillance capability to keep this Marburg virus at bay. So each one, teach one.