The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said eight new Marburg cases have been reported in Equatorial Guinea and the death toll from the virus epidemic has risen to 20, reported Reuters.
“The confirmation of these new cases is a critical signal to scale up response efforts to quickly stop the chain of transmission,” WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti said in a statement on Thursday.
Two of the eight new cases were reported from Equatorial Guinea’s Kie-Ntem province, four from the Litoral province, and two from Centre-Sur province. All three provinces share international borders with Cameroon and Gabon.
The UN health body said the areas reporting the new cases are about 150 kilometers (93 miles) apart, suggesting a wider transmission of the virus.
The WHO said that more experts will soon be deployed in the country to help contain the spread of the virus. The health body said that it is also helping Gabon and Cameroon to strengthen their preparedness and response to the epidemic.
In related news, Tanzania confirmed its first known cases of Marburg virus disease on Tuesday. A total of eight Marburg cases and five deaths had been reported in the country so far.
On Thursday, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s Director General, said the health organization has offered further support to the government of Tanzania over the Marburg virus outbreak.
“So far, eight cases have been confirmed, including five deaths,” Ghebreyesus said.
He said that more than 160 contacts have been identified and are being monitored. He added that National responders, trained jointly by the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have been sent to the affected areas.
Notably, there are currently no approved vaccines or antivirals approved to treat the virus. However, supportive care, oral or intravenous rehydration, and treatment of specific symptoms increase the chances of survival.
