ACCRA, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ghana has activated its emergency response structures against the Marburg virus, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said, after an outbreak was confirmed in Ethiopia.
Preventive measures are being taken to ensure the safety of Ghanaians, owing to frequent travel between Ghana and Ethiopia, the GHS said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The Ministry of Health, through the Ghana Health Service, is closely monitoring reports of confirmed Marburg virus disease in Ethiopia," the statement said.
Ghana's health ministry and its agencies are collaborating with partners to ensure that the public is safe through heightened surveillance at the various points of entry, issuance of alerts to all regions and health facilities, activation of public health emergency response structures, and engagement with health partners, including the veterinary services directorate and the wildlife division of the forestry commission, the statement said.
The health service urged the public to practice regular hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with persons who show symptoms, and avoid direct contact with animals who show symptoms of bleeding, it said.
On Nov. 14, the Ethiopian government confirmed a Marburg virus disease outbreak in Jinka town in the country's southern region. So far, nine confirmed cases and three deaths have been reported.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious pathogen with a high fatality rate, causes hemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same virus family as Ebola, according to the World Health Organization.
Symptoms, including high fever and severe headache, typically appear within a week of exposure. ■
