The World Health Organization has confirmed the outbreak of a new virus in Africa, which belongs to the Ebola virus family and is transmitted from animals. The WHO announced the outbreak of the "Marburg" virus in Ghana, following the first death attributed to the virus in West Africa 11 months prior.
There have been 12 major outbreaks of the Marburg virus since 1967, most of which occurred in southern and eastern Africa. This virus is part of the same family as Ebola and has previously emerged in other parts of Africa, including Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
The Marburg virus outbreak begins when an infected animal, such as a monkey or fruit bat, transmits the virus to humans, who can then spread it to others through contact with the bodily fluids of the infected person.
