"Good news" in Equatorial Guinea: the World Health Organization (WHO) declared, Thursday, June 8, the end of the Marburg virus epidemic, four months after the first cases in this small Central African country.

"The outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea ended today as no new cases have been reported in the last 42 days since the last patient was discharged from treatment," the UN agency said in a statement.

"The epidemic, which was declared on February 13, was the first of its kind in Equatorial Guinea," the WHO said six days after declaring the end of this outbreak of hemorrhagic disease in Tanzania due to a virus cousin of Ebola and almost as deadly as it. "A total of 17 cases have been laboratory confirmed and 12 deaths have been recorded. In addition, all 23 reported probable cases have died," the statement added.

Four of the eight provinces of this small oil-rich state, shared between an island and a mainland in the Gulf of Guinea, were affected. This is the case of the district of Bata, the economic capital and second city of the country, according to the WHO.

Good news! 🎉

The #Marburg epidemic in #GuinéeÉquatoriale🇬🇶 is over! Declared on 13 February, the outbreak was the first of its kind in the country.
➡️ https://t.co/J1v8cmxnun pic.twitter.com/RXyGugpfgL

— WHO Africa (@OMS_Afrique) June 8, 2023

The organization had deployed a large number of doctors and experts as soon as the epidemic was declared, in support of the Equatorial Guinean health teams.

"Although the outbreak is over, WHO continues to work with Equatorial Guinea to maintain measures such as surveillance and testing to enable a rapid response in the event of a resurgence of the virus," the statement continued.

From the same family as Ebola

Marburg virus belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. This virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads in humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.

In Africa, the first Marburg outbreak was recorded in South Africa in 1975, followed by two others in Kenya in the 1980s.

>> Read also: Marburg virus: two simultaneous deadly epidemics, an unprecedented situation

Since then, outbreaks have been reported in Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and more recently in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.

There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment approved to fight the virus. However, supportive care – oral or intravenous rehydration – and treatment of specific symptoms increase the chances of survival.

With AFP

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