Two patients tested positive for the Marburg virus earlier this month who later died, health authorities in Ghana have now formally confirmed two cases of the highly contagious disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that tests performed in Ghana yielded positive results on July 10, but that the cases needed to be confirmed by a laboratory in Senegal.
The findings have been confirmed by additional testing at the Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
GHS said it is taking every precaution to lessen the possibility of the disease spreading, including isolating all individuals who have been identified even though so far none of them have shown any symptoms.
Before passing away in the hospital, the two patients in the Ashanti region of southern Ghana reported symptoms like diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
A 26-year-old man who entered a hospital on June 26 and passed away on June 27 was the first case. The second patient, a 51-year-old man, was treated at the same hospital on June 28 and passed away that same day, according to the WHO.
The [Ghanaian] health authorities acted quickly to begin preparing for a potential outbreak. This is advantageous since Marburg may quickly turn out badly without quick and urgent response, according to Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.
In West Africa, this is only the second Marburg outbreak. Guinea reported the first viral case in the area last year, and no other cases have been found.
Depending on the virus type and case care, mortality rates in previous outbreaks ranged from 24 to 88 percent, according to the WHO.
According to the WHO, Marburg is transferred among people by direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, infected surfaces, and infected products. Marburg is transmitted to humans from fruit bats.
Although there is currently no effective treatment for Marburg, experts suggest that managing some of the symptoms and drinking water can increase survival rates.
