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The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has warned that residents of communities near illegal small-scale mining (‘galamsey’) sites have a high risk of contracting Marburg virus disease.

According to the GHS, residents of these areas should be extra vigilant because the Marburg virus is spread by bats, who live in caves in some of these mining areas, 3news.com reports.

In an interview on TV3, the Director-General of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who gave the caution, added that all the Marburg virus infections recorded in Ghana so far are all from ‘galamsey’ communities.

“The cases were found in an area where there is illegal mining; where there are caves and bats like to stay in caves, so we have to also look at the environmental factors,” he said.

Also, the director-general urged Ghanaians to avoid eating bush meat, particularly that of bats.

He added that even if people want to consume bush meat, they should ensure that it is well cooked, saying, “the processing of the meat should be measured.”

So far, three people have died from contracting the Marburg Virus Disease. More than 120 contacts that have been traced are under quarantine.

The GHS has disclosed that out of the persons who are under quarantine, 11 of them are health workers.

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