CDC warns travelers of fatal Marburg virus in Eq. Guinea and Tanzania

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Apr 2023 13:28

The CDC has asked travelers to Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania to remain vigilant vis-a-vis the fatal Marburg virus that has the potential to become an epidemic.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sign stands at the entrance of their offices in Atlanta on April 19, 2022. (AP)

Travelers to Guinea and Tanzania were urged by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remain mindful of contracting the fatal Marburg virus; an infectious illness with high mortality rates that could potentially turn into an epidemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The virus has been known to have symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle pain, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.

The CDC announced that it will be sending National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases personnel to Africa in an attempt to contain the outbreak of the disease.

Here's all you need to know about the highly contagious #Marburg virus. pic.twitter.com/0BehTAfKMJ
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 22, 2022

It is worth noting that the CDC urged travelers, according to Fox News, to "avoid contact with sick people, health care facilities in the outbreak areas and to watch for symptoms for three weeks after leaving the area."

The first outbreak of the virus, according to WHO, was in Equatorial Guinea, where since then nine cases were counted while another 20 cases have been probable.

In Tanzania, it was reported that there is also a Marburg outbreak where eight patients were counted, five of whom have been pronounced dead, WHO said.

The CDC explained that the Marburg virus can spread through the "blood or body fluids of a person infected with or who has died from Marburg."

Contaminated objects have also been noted to be a tool for the spread of the virus, as well as animals such as bats.

WHO to hold urgent meeting over Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea

Previously it was reported that after a health alert was declared in Equatorial Guinea's eastern province of Kie Ntem, which is affected by the deadly Marburg virus, and 4,325 people were quarantined in the province, an emergency meeting was set for later in February by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"We will convene an urgent meeting to outline proposed research priorities towards the newly identified Marburg outbreak in Equatorial Guinea," the UN body stated at the time.

It announced that its global coordination mechanism, Research & Development (R&D) Blueprint, will "discuss the vaccine and therapeutic candidates" with MARVAC, the WHO-coordinated consortium for the development of a vaccine against the virus.

Outbreaks and sporadic cases of the virus had previously been recorded in Angola, Ghana, Guinea, DR Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.