 "Marburg virus")
The fatal Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda has resulted in at least six deaths in the first infection of such kind. The majority of the victims were medical staff members in an intensive care unit at a hospital, according to the nation's health minister Sabin Nsanzimana.
Since Friday, 26 cases of the virus have been verified. About 300 persons, primarily in Kigali, the country's capital, are being tracked by the authorities as potential virus carriers. The government is taking action to stop its spread, including contact tracking, isolating affected persons, and launching public health awareness programs.
What is the Marburg Virus?
Like Ebola, the Marburg virus is a highly contagious illness. The disease has a high death rate, which can vary from 24% to 88% depending on the outbreak and the medical response, according to the World Health Organization.
Marburg and Ebola viruses are both members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus) and caused by different viruses, although the two are clinically similar. Marburg was first identified in 1967. Concurrently breaking out in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany and Belgrade in Serbia, this virus was related to African green Ugandan monkeys which saw 31 cases and seven deaths at the time.
How does the Marburg virus spread?
The Egyptian rousette fruit bat is the main vector of the Marburg virus, which can infect humans. The virus can also infect pigs and African green monkeys. Humans can contract the virus by coming into touch with:
• Bodily fluids (blood, saliva, vomit, etc)
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• Infected semen, which can remain infectious months after recovery.
• Contaminated bedding or surfaces.
How to prevent Marburg virus disease?
• Keep away from blood and body fluids of sick people
• Keep away from semen from a person who recovered from Marburg virus disease until testing displays that the virus is gone completely.
• Don't handle products that may have come in contact with an infected person’s body fluids.
• Keep away from Egyptian rousette bats and non-human primates if in areas where Marburg disease is searched.
What is the treatment of the Marburg disease?
There are no approved treatments for Marburg illness at the moment. Treatment options are restricted to supportive care, per the CDC. This includes getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, controlling blood pressure and oxygen levels, and treating any secondary infections.
Should Indians be Worried of Marburg virus?
Dr Sushila Kataria, Director of Internal Medicine, Medanta, Gurugram stated that the infection has been contained and there is no need to worry for Indians. “The virus has already been contained, so there is no need for Indians to worry. Additionally, if strict precautions to control infections are taken and followed, then the spread can be controlled. The disease’s spread is limited because 30-80 per cent of those infected die. The virus can spread through bats, their urine, and/or their excretions. It can also spread through direct contact with infected people’s blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids, as well as through contaminated surfaces and materials. Fortunately, it doesn’t spread through the air, restricting its spread.”
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