MANILA — The probability of the Marburg virus entering the Philippines is low, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

Two cases of the disease, which is nearly as deadly as Ebola, were recently detected in Ghana. No treatment or vaccine exists for the Marburg virus. Its symptoms include high fever as well as internal and external bleeding.

• Ghana reports first cases of deadly Marburg virus

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the disease was endemic or "native" in Africa.

"So I think the risk of this going in our country at ito ay kumalat sa ating bansa ay napakababa. But nevertheless syempre laging handa dapat, so ang Kagawaran ng Kalusugan simula nung na-receive ang report na ito, tayo po naghahanda na," she told reporters.

(So I think the risk of this going in our country and spreading is very low. Nevertheless, we have to remain prepared. The Department of Health has begun its preparations since it received this report.)

"We give information to our surveillance offices and of course sa ating port of entries para kasama po ito sa mga binabatayang sakit dito sa ating bansa. 'Yun pong probability na makapasok po ang ganitong sakit sa 'ting bansa is still at low risk."

(We give information to our surveillance offices and of course to our port of entries to include this on illnesses that are being monitored. The probability of this disease to enter the country is still at low risk.)

Fatality rates in confirmed cases of the Marburg virus have ranged from 24 percent to 88 percent in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus strain and case management, according to the World Health Organization.

Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases of Marburg in Africa have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the WHO said.

The Marburg virus can spread from infected animals, including bats.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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