WHO: Ghana reports 2 suspected cases of Marburg virus

Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says Ghana has reported two possible cases of the Ebola-like Marburg virus disease, which if confirmed would mark the first-ever such infections in the West African country. WHO said the disease, a very infectious hemorrhagic fever in the same family as Ebola, is spread to people by fruit bats and transmitted among people through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people and surfaces. It is potentially very harmful and deadly: Case fatality rates in past outbreaks have ranged from 24% to 88%. WHO said that if confirmed as Marburg, the cases would be the second time that the disease has been detected in West Africa — after Guinea confirmed a single case last year.