Bahrain closely monitoring global Marburg virus developments: Health Ministry

TDT | Manama                                                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Reported by Zahra Ayaz  

The Bahrain Health Ministry will continue to closely monitor regional and international developments on the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), which has infected individuals in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea, it was announced.

Health Minister H.E. Dr. Jaleela bint AlSayed Jawad Hasan stated that based on the risk assessment carried out by the Gulf Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (GCDPC), it was found that the chances of a virus reaching Bahrain are low, as there are no direct flights with Tanzania or Equatorial Guinea.

The ministry further indicated that it is in constant coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the GCDPC to monitor events related to a communicable disease to devise preparedness and response plans, which include providing logistical preparation and harnessing all necessary energies, capabilities, equipment, medical, and laboratory protocols for dealing with them.

It also includes prevention, isolation, and treatment, in addition to intensifying epidemiological monitoring and investigation. The ministry will provide citizens with the latest developments regarding the virus through various official media, its accounts on social networking sites, and the official platform for health developments in Bahrain, healthalert.gov.bh.

It also stressed the importance of obtaining information from official sources. Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry called on all citizens to avoid travelling to Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea for their own safety due to the outbreak of the virus. The ministry urged citizens to comply with the mandatory medical protocols in case they needed to travel to ensure their safety.