Health Essentials
The Marburg virus disease – should we be worried?
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“Ghana has confirmed its first two cases of the deadly Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease in the same family as the virus that causes the feared Ebola.”
As deadly as this disease is, all the two who tested positive for the virus died. Fortunately, the 98 contacts are all well and even the 13 who were randomly tested had negative results.
The questions on our minds include; where did they contract this disease from since no others have so far been diagnosed? They both had no history of travel outside the country and may not even ever had contact.
It appears the world is under attack from viruses and over the past few years this has become pronounced fuelling the thoughts of conspiracy theorists BUT we should at all times be cautious whenever there is the need for close contact with others AND we have to love one another and isolate when we are unwell while we get professional medical advice.
What is the Marburg virus? How is it transmitted? What are its symptoms? Is there a cure for the disease it inflicts on one’s body? How can one protect themselves from the virus? Read on for the answers to these questions.
WHAT THE MARBURG VIRUS IS
The Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) is a rare but severe hemorrhagic fever which affects both people and non-human primates. In simple terms, the virus affects multiple organ systems in the body and is accompanied by hemorrhage (bleeding).
It became known when it affected and killed some thirty-one people in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany in 1967. Many of us in Ghana are familiar with Ebola Virus that is related to Marburg virus and as we are aware is also deadlier than one can ever imagine.
HOW THE MVS IS TRANSMITTED
The initial transmission (primary transmission) is from non-human primates, most especially the African Fruit Bat through their faeces and urine. Secondarily, it spreads in high numbers from person to person through close contacts, such as,
- Through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth or body fluids (urine, saliva, sweat, faeces, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, and semen) of a person who is sick with or died from Marburg virus disease.
- Through infected needles, clothing and bed sheets. It is important for Health Practitioners to protect themselves using specialised personal protective equipment which covers them from head to toe while dealing with cases of such calibre.
- From infected people to their family members who are caring for them or preparing the dead for burial. Report to the hospital early if a family member shows any sign of the symptoms below and always wait for the autopsy report and clearance from the hospital before taking home a deceased family member for burial rites.
Thankfully, people who contract the Marburg virus typically don’t become contagious until they develop symptoms. It is important to note that there are no research findings that show that the virus can be spread through insect bites.
SYMPTOMS OF THE MARBURG VIRUS DISEASE
Like other viruses, the Marburg Virus Disease has an incubation (time from contact to exhibition of symptoms) period of 2 to 21 days after which the patient suffers fever, chills, headaches, and mild to severe muscle pain.
Five days after the symptoms above start, the patient may experience a rash on their trunk (chest, back, stomach), accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sore throat, chest pain, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Symptoms become more severe as the days go by. These may include severe bleeding, shock, liver failure, inflammation of the pancreas, massive weight loss, and multi-organ dysfunction.
CLASSIC SYMPTOMS;
- fever
- bloody diarrhoea
- bleeding from gums
- bleeding into the skin
- bleeding into the eyes
- bloody urine
MVD often ends up in death from multiple organ failure. Other complications include seizures (fits) and delirium.
TREATMENT FOR THE MARBURG VIRUS DISEASE
There aren’t any approved treatments or vaccines for the Marburg Virus Disease. Patients are given supportive care i.e., rehydration both through intravenous and oral means, balancing patient’s electrolytes, improving oxygen status and blood pressure, replacing lost blood and managing blood clot challenges etc. The goal is to manage specific symptoms.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE VIRUS
- Primarily, people should desist from having any contacts with fruit bats. As well as other primates such as monkeys, grasscutters etc. Avoid touching or eating these animals.
- Meat should be thoroughly cooked before eating
- Avoid caves and mines that may be harbouring the virus.
- With regards to human to human transmission, report to the nearest hospital in instances where you see any of the symptoms mentioned above on any relative or friend before assisting them. In instances where you have to assist the patient before the arrival of the medics, make sure to protect yourself before touching or assisting them.
- Medical practitioners should stick strictly to their safety routines when attending to patients including using the appropriate protective equipment.
- Wash your hands frequently and use your hand sanitizers in instances where there is the absence of soap and running water.
Recovery from this disease is slow and painful and the virus stays in one’s body for weeks while it takes months to regain your strength and the weight that is lost.
Note that THERE IS NO VACCINE to protect us from Marburg Virus Disease!!!!
The Marburg Virus Disease is quite rare but can spread very fast when a person contracts it. In Ghana, the Ghana Health Service has put in place measures that can help trace contacts and quarantine persons who have had contacts with infected persons.
Remember to follow all Covid-19 protocols as they go a long way to protect us from many other viruses including the Marburg Virus.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Augustina Amarh, Content Creator, Health Essentials Ltd
& Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.
Thought for the week – “Don’t lose out on laughter, the benefits match Exercise, Meditation & Sex all rolled into one.”
References:
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62202240
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/marburg-virus-disease
- https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/marburg/prevention/index.html
- GHS Press Release
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
I have over the past two decades looked beyond mainstream medicine to assess other options that lead to holistic health, and I must say it’s been exciting and revealing but it’s not an easy path.
As I matured and my knowledge expanded, I have changed my opinion on some aspects of wellness and many findings have been humbling. We all continue to learn each day.
I will share some of the life-changing skills that we take for granted. In our quest for wellness there appears to be more questions than answers, but moderation still remains key in our daily lives.
The power of prayer, praise and worship of God cannot be taken out of the equation.
Ready. Set. Let us do this together.
- Strength training is a must for ALL of us
- Yes, we all need to dig into the various aspects of exercise; strength training, cardiovascular training, stretches or flexibility training and balance training. If you asked me about a decade ago to pick the king of all exercises, I would naively have answered cardiovascular such as walking, cycling etc. but I am certain now that strength training trumps all and we need to incorporate at least a bit of that in our exercise programme.
- Take a short walk after each meal
- Many of us (your truly included) after dinner barely get to wash our hands before the miracle of the Lotus Eaters sends us to dreamland. Our fingers will be signaling to rats and cockroaches to come out and party.
- Walking a few minutes after eating may hold the key to helping control our blood sugar levels and reduce the spikes in insulin that come with a myriad of issues. At the very least the short walks after eating will add up to increase the energy you expend daily.
- Eating your vegetables and proteins before your carbohydrates may be helpful
- Well, how true may this be? I suggest it is worth trying. I am not saying clear your plate of all protein before you even take a spoonful of carbohydrate. The fibre will slow the absorption of the sugar for hours and even better, you may feel full after the vegetables and protein and not be able to gobble down the mounds of carbohydrates you had planned to dismantle.
- Eat slowly but do not get your boss angry
- Eating slowly does not mean spending hours at lunch and courting the displeasure of your superiors. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realise you are full so dear friend, take your time to chew and enjoy your food. A meal “downed” in less than 20 minutes may cause you to virtually suffocate when you top up with water. This is a message to myself and all those who like me eat so quickly that Usain Bolt will envy our speed.
- Eat from small, colourful plates
- Small colourful plates make an impression on our brains. Since the little food appears loaded on a small plate our brains tend to “believe” it’s a lot of food and we feel full for a strange reason. Put the same amount in a large plate and you are likely to be asking for second servings.
- By all means make friends
- The power of social wellness and its role in longevity and an enviable health span is no longer in doubt. By all means make a few good friends and enjoy life! Thank me later.
- Sleep!
- Yes, I do agree there are at least seven forms of rest, and they are all equally important BUT start off with sleep and we will gradually rope in all others.
- Keep your eyes on your numbers
- I have written and spoken about the miracle of knowing our numbers and keeping them in check; blood pressure, blood sugar, lipids and BMI. Today I suggest you look at your heart rate closely. A low heart rate may be an indicator for staying here on planet earth for a long time. Also keeping glycated haemoglobin (long term blood sugar) low is another feather in the cap of longevity.
- Appropriate supplementation
- The golden rule is to get all your nutrients from your food but for many of us that may not be possible hence the need to supplement ( note that supplement overdose does exist)
- It is ideal to discuss supplementation with your healthcare professional and your discussion should look at probiotics, magnesium glycinate, Vit D3 + K2, a good multivitamin and in some instances creatine or whey Protein. I am in no way suggesting you take all these, each individual is unique and that is why it is crucial to discuss your options with a professional.
- Make a conscious effort to be HAPPY
- Happiness affects our entire being in positive ways; smile, say a kind word to someone, be grateful, surround yourself with people who make you happy and not ones who sap your energy, volunteer to support people and by all means get a hobby eg gardening, playing a game etc and the best get news yet; you don’t even have to be good at your hobby to benefit.
We are not waiting for a magical or ideal day to start working on our Health and Wellness, we start today bearing in mind that “the most efficient way to reach our realistic health and wellness goals is to make small healthy choices daily.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “WHERE YOU LIVE SHOULD NOT DETERMINE IF YOU LIVE.”- WHO
Very often we leave the doctor’s office only to remember that we left out a major complaint. Some patients immediately rush back to the consulting room totally oblivious of the privacy that the next patient is entitled to.
They expect that as they walk in, the doctor should ignore the seated or positioned patient and attend to them. That is totally outrageous. Others go home and continue to live with the condition hoping to be healed miraculously.
Most of us will be extremely lucky to spend 15 minutes with our doctor and this time is often much shorter in countries/communities where the doctor-patient ratio is so low that at best it can be described as criminal.
We are now in the second half of 2026, and I highly recommend that you see a doctor not only when you are unwell but as a means to assess your state of wellbeing and take the needed precautions. It is critical that you find a good primary care doctor who is knowledgeable and proactive and will also be able to coordinate specialist care that you may require.
To make the most out of our time with the doctor we need to PREPARE. If your condition is an emergency, then you do not have the benefit of time to prepare.
A must do!
Kindly ensure your personal hygiene is excellent.
- Take a good bath and brush your teeth
- Wear clean clothes that also make undressing easy, especially if you need to expose some areas for inspection/examination.
This may sound ridiculous, but the opposite does happen in real life.
Remember that doctors are human and when you are unkempt you may not get adequate contact with your doctor.
Research on the symptoms
If you have access to the internet or a book worth its salt you may read about your symptoms or wait to read after your doctor tells you your diagnosis.
Remember that if you need to research on the internet, it is essential that you use a reputable site.
In tune with your complaints
- Write down your complaints/symptoms if you think you may forget.
- If you have had a similar problem and have the results of any investigations e.g. Laboratory tests, x-rays, CT scans etc kindly carry them along
- Let your doctor know if you react to any drugs.
- Be truthful about any medications you have taken for the condition, if you do not remember the names make sure you go with the containers.
- If you have any other medical conditions (and medication) make the doctor aware.
- Remember to make a note of the following
- When did the symptoms/complaint begin?
- How long have you had these symptoms?
- Is it getting worse?
- Does anything make the condition worse?
- What makes you feel better?
- Is anything related to their onset?
- How often does it occur?
- How long does it last e.g. in pain conditions as well as rash, allergies etc.
- Does anyone else in your family have them?
- How do they affect your daily life?
- Is it related to work or home?
You may need to modify these slightly when you have skin lesions, swellings etc. This list is by no means exhaustive, and you may not need to find answers to all of them before getting help, but they will definitely help you ace the visit to your doctor.
If your doctor books you for surgery, do not leave his presence without finding out the following:
- Will you go home on the same day of the surgery?
- Will you need assistance to go home or can you drive unsupervised for instance
- What form of anaesthesia will you be given?
Then, if your visit is for a medical examination, do remember that also being aware of disease conditions in your family will help your doctor select the appropriate tests and make the whole experience and time useful.
Finally do not leave your doctor without finding out:
- How much physical activity/exercise you require; the Almighty “FITT” prescription
- What you need to eat or avoid.
- Some basic information regarding SLEEP.
See you in the consulting room soon.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)/Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “The next big thing in Healthcare in Ghana is the Medics Clinic. Visit https://medicsgroupgh.com/ for more information.”
References:
