DOH: Chances of Marburg virus entering PH remains low

The possibility of the Marburg virus entering the country remains low at this point in time, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

“’Yun pong probability na makapasok po yung ganitong klaseng sakit sa ating bansa, sa ngayon, is still at low risk (The probability that this kind of disease going into our country, right now, is still at low risk),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

“I think the risk of this going into our country at ito ay kumalat sa ating bansa ay napakababa (or spreading in the country is very low),” she added.

However, the DOH is already preparing in the event that the country detects a case of Marburg virus.

“Nevertheless, laging handa dapat. So, ang kagawaran ng kalusugan mula nung nareceived natin ang report na ito from international health regulations, tayo po ay naghahanda na (we must always be ready. Since we received this report from international health regulations, the health department is already preparing [for this]),” she said.

“So we [gave] information to our surveillance officers and of course doon sa ating (in our) ports of entry,” she added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that Marburg virus disease is a “highly virulent disease that causes haemorrhagic fever” and “it is the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease.”

“Human infection with Marburg virus disease initially results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies,” the WHO said.

“Once an individual is infected with the virus, Marburg can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids,” it added.

Recently, Ghana reported two cases of Marburg virus.

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