Marburg virus outbreaks highlight link between health and planet

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Marburg virus outbreaks highlight the link between health and the planet …

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking to reporters in Geneva, said that WHO is assisting the epidemic response in Equatorial Guinea.

"Teams have been dispatched to help with case detection, clinical care, logistics, and community participation."

"We have also assisted in the establishment of treatment units in the impacted areas," he added.

The number of officially documented cases in three provinces remains at nine, with seven deaths, but the fact that the provinces are 150 kilometers apart suggests "wider dissemination of the virus," Tedros added.

He also noted that WHO is aware of further cases and has requested that they be formally reported to WHO.

In Tanzania, where all eight recorded cases are concentrated in one location, Tedros said WHO and partners have given assistance to the government to "bridge any gaps in the response."

Vaccine trials in the near future

Marburg virus sickness, which is related to Ebola, is a severe illness with a fatality rate of up to 88%.

There are currently no vaccines available against the disease, but Tedros stated that a WHO committee has assessed the data for four vaccines and that the organization "is trying to initiate vaccine and treatment trials as soon as possible."

He also stated that the WHO was prepared to collaborate with the governments of Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania as part of the trials "to help avoid cases and fatalities now and in future outbreaks."

Response to zoonotic hazard through 'One Health'

The Marburg virus is spread to humans by fruit bats, and Tedros described the outbreaks as "another reminder" of the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health, requiring a comprehensive response.

"A 'One Health' strategy will be vital for preventing viruses from spreading from animals to humans," he said, adding that "this is how numerous epidemics, including HIV, Marburg, Ebola, avian influenza, mpox, MERS, and the SARS epidemic in 2003, began."

He reaffirmed his earlier call, made with the heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), to prioritize "One Health" approaches "by strengthening the policies, strategies, plans, evidence, investment, and workforce required to properly address the threats that arise from our relationship with animals and the environment."

Tedros also expressed satisfaction that "One Health" was included as a major principle in the "zero drafts" of a future agreement on pandemic prevention, readiness, and response, which is presently being negotiated.

Malaria eradication progress

Earlier on Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared Azerbaijan and Tajikistan malaria-free. Tedros reacted to the achievement in a statement, calling it "another proof that, with the right resources and political commitment, eliminating malaria is achievable," and expressing optimism that other countries might benefit from their experience.

Thus far, 42 countries or territories have achieved malaria-free status.

Conflict-related injuries are on the rise.

On Wednesday, the WHO also issued a warning about the growth in violent injuries in conflict-affected nations, claiming that healthcare systems are being overburdened.

The number of conflict-related deaths globally grew by 46% in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to the UN, with a severe weight of damage and disability accompanying the increase in the number of individuals murdered.

According to WHO, trauma treatment services in the Eastern Mediterranean region, where nine countries out of 22 WHO Member States are facing protracted conflict or intermittent violence, should be prioritized.

"Up to 80% of trauma deaths occur before people arrive at the hospital," said Dr. Sara Halimah, Trauma Care Expert for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean area.

"That's a huge source of concern because it indicates that civilians - average Somali families living in Mogadishu, Afghanistan, Sudan, or elsewhere - are trying to reach hospitals." They are dying en route."

The UN agency estimated that in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Somalia's biggest hospitals recorded more than 60,000 casualties in 2022.

Last year, at least 150,000 trauma consultations were conducted in Syria, while the Occupied Palestinian Territories saw their worst year of conflict-related injuries since the end of the previous Intifada uprising in late 2005 in 2022.

One-fourth of all trauma-related deaths could be averted if people knew how to stop bleeding with a tourniquet or tranexamic acid to help to clot. WHO insisted that ensuring proper access to health products, as well as investing in front-line employees, will help protect lives.

Nevertheless, such fundamental interventions are frequently unavailable in fragile and conflict-affected environments where health systems have been damaged and are unable to respond to emergencies.

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