Marburg disease hits Africa as WHO confirms outbreak in Equatorial Guinea
Onions are a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed cooked or fried. Today, we are delving deeper into the benefits of consuming raw onions. If you wish to combat the summer blues, consider incorporating a raw onion into your daily diet. Throughout the years, onions have been a staple in our meals, thanks to the efforts of our mothers, grandmothers, and grandfathers. Whether it’s adding flavor to salads or enhancing the taste of our favorite dishes with chopped onions and green chutney, this vegetable not only pleases our taste buds but also contributes to our overall health.
The World Health Organization has confirmed the presence of Marburg disease in Western Africa, specifically in Equatorial Guinea, marking the first-ever outbreak of the illness in the country. The organization verified the Ebola-like condition following the analysis of samples in a laboratory in Senegal. In response to this alarming situation, the WHO is dispatching experts and providing protective equipment to assist local authorities in managing the outbreak. So far, there have been nine deaths and 16 suspected cases exhibiting symptoms such as fever, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Dr. Methodios Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, emphasized the highly infectious nature of Marburg and commended the swift response of Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease. This proactive approach enables emergency response efforts to be swiftly implemented to save lives and contain the virus effectively.
The WHO officially declared the outbreak on Monday, coinciding with the discovery of two cases of the virus in Olamae, a location bordering Equatorial Guinea, as reported by officials in Cameroon.
