By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Hundreds of traders and suppliers on Friday converged in Kye Ossi, a Cameroonian town on the border with Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, to protest travel restrictions imposed, since an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus.
They say, the restrictions are suffocating trade and violate a Central African regional agreement on the free movement of people and goods.
The merchants say by restricting the movement of people; Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, are disrespecting a regional agreement among countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC.
Under normal circumstances, several hundred merchants cross borders to Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon each day to do business.
The Cameroon government says merchants should present themselves to border surveillance teams of Health workers and Police to facilitate the movement of goods.
Equatorial Guinea, on the coast in West Africa, declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in mid-February, with cases spread across multiple provinces.
As at March 22, the country had 13 confirmed cases, including nine people who have died and one who has recovered, according to World Health Organization.
Tanzania, on the coast in East Africa, declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease on March 21, with cases reported in two villages in the Kagera region, according to the CDC.
Marburg virus is a rare and deadly virus that causes fever, chills, muscle pain, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness or unexplained bleeding or bruising. It is spread through contact with body fluids and contaminated surfaces.
People can also contract it from infected animals. It is fatal in about half of cases of those who get it. Other countries in Africa have had to quell outbreaks before.
