Day: August 10, 2021

Guinea confirmed a case of Marburg disease, the World Health Organization said on Monday, the first recorded in West Africa of the lethal virus that’s related to Ebola and, like Covid-19, passed from animal hosts to humans.

The virus, which is carried by bats and has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent, was found in samples taken from a patient who died on August 2 in southern Gueckedou prefecture, the WHO said.

“The potential for the Marburg virus to spread far and wide means we need to stop it in its tracks,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

The discovery comes just two months after the WHO declared an end to Guinea’s second outbreak of Ebola, which started last year and claimed 12 lives.

In Geneva, the WHO said it considered the threat “high” at the national and regional level, but “low” globally.

“We are working with the health authorities to implement a swift response that builds on Guinea’s past experience and expertise in managing Ebola, which is transmitted in a similar way,” Moeti said.

The Guinean government confirmed the Marburg case in a statement.

Marburg virus is usually associated with exposure to caves or mines housing colonies of Rousettus bats. Once caught by a human, it is spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected people, or with contaminated surfaces and materials, according to the WHO.

– Rapid response –

“We applaud the alertness and the quick investigative action by Guinea’s health workers,” Moeti said.

The case was detected in a village in a forested region close to the borders of Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The man’s symptoms date back to July 25, the WHO said.

After being initially treated at a local clinic and tested for malaria, the patient died “in the community”, the WHO said.

Post-mortem samples then tested negative for Ebola, but positive for Marburg.

Ten WHO experts, including epidemiologists and socio-anthropologists, are already in the field to support national health authorities.

The emergency response includes risk assessment, disease surveillance, community mobilisation and screening, clinical care, infection control and logistical support, WHO said.

Cross-border surveillance has also been stepped up so that possible cases can be quickly detected, it said.

Three family members of the deceased and a healthcare worker have been identified as high-risk close contacts and are being monitored, while investigations are under way to identify the source of the infection and any other possible contacts, the WHO said.

Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

But this is the first time the virus has been detected in West Africa.

The disease begins suddenly, with a high fever, severe headache and discomfort.

Fatality rates have ranged from 24 percent to 88 percent in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus strain and case management, the WHO says.

Although there are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments, oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms improve survival rates, it says.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

“For a long time, I was skeptical about vaccinating my children against polio, but now I know better after one of my children work up one morning with weakness of his limbs due to polio says Baba Ali, a resident of Dawakin Kudu LGA in Kano State

“I thank God that my three-year-old son is now regaining the use of his legs. I will henceforth not only allow my children to be vaccinated but will champion the drive to vaccinate other children in my village. I have learnt that there are a couple of families in Wangara that do not allow their kids to receive routine immunization. I hope my case will serve as an eye opener to them before it is too late” he said.

Just like Mr Ali, Hajiya Sa’a, grandmother of Tanimu the 23 months old boy paralyzed in Tambutu settlement of Jido ward in Dawakin Kudu LGA, Kano State said although her grandson started receiving the routine vaccination, his parent did not comply with routine immunization calendar and the child did not complete his vaccination doses.

“I have seen the consequences of that. This will not repeat itself in my family. I am now more enlightened, and I urge all and sundry to follow the vaccination schedule religiously” said Hajiya Sa’a,.

Although Nigeria has successfully eradicated the wild poliovirus in the country, there have been recent reports of the circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus (cVDPV2) in 18 states, including Kano where four children were already confirmed paralyzed of the disease.

In an effort to curtail the spread of cVDPV2 outbreak in Kano State, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported the state government to plan and conduct mass vaccination exercise with the novel Oral Polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). The Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign was synchronized with four neighboring states that were also affected. A total of 3,297,347 children aged 0-59 months, representing 99% of the targeted children in Kano State, were vaccinated at the end of the exercise on 4th August 2021.

Providing political oversight

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Nasir Yusuf Gawuna during the flag-off of the campaign re-affirmed the state government’s commitment to eradicate all forms of polio by investing in various interventions and provision of the necessary funds to fight the disease.

He added, “We will do all that need to be done to ensure no child will ever be paralyzed by the virus in the state”.

He also acknowledged the support of development partners, adding, “We are also grateful to the Federal Government, agencies and international organizations for their cooperation in implementing various projects in this state, such as WHO, UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Foundation, and Dangote Foundation, CHAI, CORE GROUP, Rotary International, FCDO-Health, MSF, MSH and others.”

The cVDPV2 circulates in areas with low population immunity. The first confirmed case of cVDPV2 in 2021 in Kano was a 63-month old boy from Albasu LGA with date of onset of paralysis on the 21st April 2021. Since then, three additional children were reported, while five viruses were confirmed from environmental samples.

WHO’s support for quality response

Speaking during at the flag-off, the WHO State Coordinator Dr Bashir Abba emphasized the close collaboration with the state government and highlighted that WHO supported in capacity building activities, microplanning, risk communication & community engagement as well as monitoring and supervision of the campaign.

“WHO also supports surveillance for polio and other vaccine preventable diseases, including transportation of samples to the accredited laboratories for testing”, he added.

With increase in the number of cVDPV2 cases recorded in the state, the capacity of 112 Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) and their assistants (ADSNOs) was further enhanced with the support of WHO to detect early and report cases.

To build the capacity of the media on issues surrounding cVDPV2 outbreaks, routine immunization and improving community awareness on the OBR campaign, WHO sensitized 25 journalists from both print and electronic media houses.

In the same vein, WHO supported the training and sensitization of 44 LGA

Involvement of the traditional leaders.

In Kano, traditional leaders are the custodians of the culture. During the flag-off, the Emir of Gaya represented by Madakin Gaya and Sarkin Yakin Kano, a veteran member of the northern traditional council on PHC, re-affirmed the community leaders’ commitment towards ensuring all eligible children are vaccinated.

“We showed the way in the days of paralysis due to wild poliovirus, we will show the way again now to stop this outbreak by ensuring all eligible children receive both routine immunization and campaign OPV doses”.

Also speaking on the response activities, the ward head of Dawakiji in Dawakin Kudu LGA, Alhaji Isa Mohammed expressed his delight with the swift response by WHO in promptly investigating the outbreak and building capacity of health workers as well for swift response.

“The health of my people is of utmost importance to me. The WHO has proved to be efficient health leader with this swift response.”

The WHO works with other partners in the Emergency Operation Center including UNICEF, CDC/AFENET, Rotary and Core Group partners project among others, in developing the state plan, conducting outbreak investigation and implementing response activities.

Source: World Health Organization. Africa