The Ghana Health Service is remaining optimistic about its ability to control the outbreak of the Marburg Virus Disease in Ghana.

Despite three confirmed infections that led to two deaths, the service noted in a statement that the first batch of contacts traced tested negative for the virus.

The source of the virus is yet to be detected.

“Initially, 118 contacts were identified and followed up, including the two who later tested positive. The remaining 116 contacts have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up and are all well.”

In addition, the service said 16 contacts, including healthcare workers, were randomly tested and are all negative.

“A new set of 81 contacts for two of the cases are currently under follow-up,” the service added.

On July 25, 2022, the service reported four cases of Marburg Virus Disease following test results from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

“The second case, a 51-year-old male with known chronic disease and not linked to the first case, was, however, awaiting re-testing. Repeat test results received from NMIMR on 28 July 2022 were negative for MVD, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three (3).”

The service believes Ghana’s health system is resilient and “has been responsible for the early detection of and prompt response to outbreaks, including the current MVD.”

It also said a number of healthcare workers were recently trained on the management of viral haemorrhagic fevers across the country even before the first MVD was detected.

Ghana’s National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre has been activated since the detection of the cases.

The outbreak in Ghana is only the second in West Africa, after it was detected last year in Guinea.

In other parts of Africa, outbreaks have previously been reported in Uganda, Kenya, Angola, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Find below summaries of the confirmed cases:
• Case I: A 26-year-old male, got ill on 22 June 2022 and later bled from the nose and mouth, was admitted to a hospital in Ashanti Region on 26 June 2022 and died 28 hours after admission.
• Case 2: A one-year two-month-old contact of Case 1 (son of Case I ); got ill and was admitted on 17 July 2022. He died on the third day of admission.
• Case 3: A 24-year-old female (mother of Case 3 and wife of Case 1). She is alive and well. She has since Tuesday 26th July 2022 been in a government-designated isolation centre, and is being managed with full implementation of strict infection prevention and control measures.