<<Print>>

Former Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide has called on the government to prepare against the new viruses, Marburg and Ebola.

Guinea has confirmed a case of the Marburg which was detected in a patient who died on August 2 making it the first case of the Ebola-like virus in West Africa.

Marburg virus is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and can be spread from human to human through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or surfaces and materials contaminated with the fluids.

The symptoms include high fever, severe headache and malaise and many patients are reported to have developed severe haemorthagic signs within seven days as a result of the virus.

The deadly Ebola has also been recorded in Cote d'Ivoire.

Making his submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Pious Enam Hadzide called for public education on the viruses to put Ghanaians on the alert.

"The Ghana Health Service and government must start preparing . . .public education is very important," he stated.