Rwanda's Ministry of Health said Marburg disease, a highly contagious viral infection that causes a hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, has killed six people in Rwanda.
Marburg virus is a rare and severe viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the highly contagious Marburg viruses (Marburg and Lavin). The virus, found naturally in the Egyptian russetus bat, affects humans and primates such as apes and monkeys. Although bats carry pathogens, they don't get sick from them. This infection usually occurs in sub-Saharan Africa.
Currently, there are no treatments or vaccines available for Marburg disease. The estimated mortality rate is approximately 88%.
About 20 people are currently being treated in Rwanda's latest outbreak, according to Rwanda's Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana. Nsanzimana said: “The infected and deceased are mainly health workers” Tell news media.
Cases of Marburg disease have been reported in seven of Rwanda's 30 districts, and officials are stepping up efforts to contain the outbreak. Currently, 161 close contacts of confirmed cases have been traced and they are being closely monitored to prevent further spread.
The World Health Organization announced that a batch of clinical care and infection prevention supplies is being prepared and will be shipped from the emergency response center in Nairobi, Kenya, to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, in the coming days.
“We are rapidly activating all critical outbreak response efforts to support Rwanda in stopping the spread of the virus quickly and effectively. With the country’s already strong public health emergency response system, WHO is working closely with the country’s authorities to provide the needed resources. Press release.
Signs of infection:
Infection begins two days to three weeks after exposure. Patients may experience a variety of conditions symptom Examples include fever, chills, and headache, along with muscle pain and a distinctive rash with flat and raised bumps, often concentrated on the trunk. Other symptoms include chest pain, sore throat, and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, as the disease progresses, it can lead to life-threatening complications, including liver failure, delirium, shock, bleeding, and multiple organ dysfunction.
infect:
Marburg virus is spread from infected people through contact with body fluids of people who have become sick or died from the disease. It can also be spread through contaminated objects such as clothing, bedding, medical equipment, and the semen of men who have recovered from infection.
The risk of infection is high for those who come into contact with Egyptian russetus bats or their excreta, those who care for sick people without appropriate protective equipment, and those who come into contact with infected non-human primates.
prevention:
Since there is no vaccine to prevent Marburg disease, your best bet is to avoid getting it. To reduce your risk of contracting the virus, avoid contact with blood and body fluids from sick people, avoid contact with semen from recovered people until testing confirms the virus is no longer present, and avoid handling items that may have come into contact with bodily fluids from infected people. It is also important to avoid contact with Egyptian Russet bats and nonhuman primates in areas where Marburg disease is endemic.