The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed that Ghana has recorded two cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD).
According to the GHS, the two cases, which are Ghana’s first cases since the MVD outbreak across the world, were recorded in communities in the Ashanti Region.
In a press release issued on Sunday, July 17, the service indicated that the virus was found in samples from the two infected persons by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research which later was confirmed by the Institute Pasteur in Dakar.
“Following the report of the preliminary finding of two cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) from the Ashanti Region on 7th July 2022, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) wishes to announce that further testing at the Institute Pasteur in Dakar (IPD), Senegal, has corroborated the results from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
“The samples were sent to IPD with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) for validation in line with standard practice, this being the first time Ghana has confirmed Marburg Virus Disease,” parts of the statement by the GHS read.
It added that it has traced more than 90 people who came into contact with the infected persons and has placed them under quarantine.
“The disease was suspected following the identification of two persons who met the case definition for an Acute Haemorrhagic Fever and reported in Adansi North District of Ashanti Region. So far, 98 contacts identified including those from Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district from Savannah Region are currently under quarantine and being monitored by the Ashanti and Savannah Regional Health Directorates of the Ghana Health Service,” the service added.
To mitigate measures against the disease, the GHS said it has expanded its contact tracing to prevent any further cases to ensure that no case exists.
“The Ghana Health Service together with partners remains committed to protecting the health of the population and seeks the cooperation of all to ensure that this outbreak is contained effectively,” it said.
