From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said it has raised its surveillance bar following the second incident of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) that was detected in Ghana, West Africa.
The NCDC explained that MVD is another example of a zoonosis such as Lassa fever, etc, and it causes a rare, highly infectious disease and severe haemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates just like the Ebola virus, and currently has no treatment nor vaccines.
It confirmed that MVD spreads in humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, contaminated materials and surfaces, and it can access the body through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth.
NCDC Director General Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, in a statement on Wednesday, said, “currently, no case of MVD has been reported in Nigeria. But we have the capacity to test for the virus presently at the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital laboratory Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology.
“Measures have been put in place to prevent an outbreak of the disease in-country. Point of entry surveillance has been heightened, trained rapid response teams are on standby to be deployed in the event of an outbreak and the NCDC’s Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) is in alert mode.”
The NCDC boss added that diagnostic capacity for the MVD can be scaled up to other laboratories if required, and Nigeria has the resources, human, technical and laboratory, for prompt identification and management in the event of a single imported case.
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He, however, confirmed that Ghanaian public health officials have assured that they are responding to the disease with the support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to halt its spread, given the proximity of Ghana to Nigeria.
He said the NCDC-led multisectoral National Emerging Viral Haemorrhagic Diseases Working Group (EVHDWG) coordinates preparedness efforts for MVD, and other emerging viral haemorrhagic diseases and has also conducted a rapid risk assessment to guide in-country preparedness activities.
“Nevertheless, available data indicates that the overall risk of both importations of the disease and its potential impact on the Nigerian population is moderate as assessed by NCDC experts and partners given the following; the proximity (same region), high traffic from Ghana and its neighbours, the incubation period of 21 days of the virus, heightened surveillance at point of entry, response capacity and the fact that persons with MVD transmit the virus when they become symptomatic unlike for SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 that can also be transmitted by infected persons without symptoms,” he said.
Dr Adetifa further confirmed that NCDC is amplifying risk communication efforts, and will continue to work with States and partners to strengthen preparedness activities which include a review of risk communication protocols, plans and messages in the event of an outbreak.
H urged Nigerians to strictly adhere to the preventive measures, notably, avoiding non-essential travel to affected locations; avoid direct contact with blood, saliva, vomit, urine, and other bodily fluids of people with suspected or confirmed MVD; avoid animal reservoirs (fruit bats), and other sick animals.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to ensure that persons with the symptoms are promptly taken to healthcare facilities for diagnosis and initiation of supportive treatment, and in any suspected and/or confirmed MVD cases, direct physical contact should be avoided by ensuring strict isolation, use of protective gowns, masks, gloves and safe disposal of needles, bedding, and other contaminated materials.
He stressed the need for the strict practice of infection prevention control in the healthcare settings for all suspected patients, and also advised male survivors of MVD to engage in safer sexual practices and hygiene for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen test negative twice for the virus.
“There is currently no treatment or vaccine for MVD. However, infected persons can benefit from supportive care and treatment of specific symptoms which improve the chances of survival. Early detection and treatment improve prognosis. Anyone who travels to a location where an outbreak has been reported or had contact with a confirmed case or sick individual of an unknown source of illness should observe self-isolation for 21 days and call the NCDC immediately if symptomatic.”