Since the outbreak of corona virus started, one new virus after another has started creating havoc. Sometimes Ebola, sometimes monkeypox and now Marburg. The worrying thing is that Marburg is such a dangerous virus that about 88 out of 100 people die from it. As per WHO, Marburg virus is the causative agent of Marburg virus disease (MVD), a disease with a case fatality ratio of up to 88%, but can be much lower with good patient care. A new phase of this disease has started in Rwanda, due to which 6 people have died so far. Infection with this virus causes high fever and severe bleeding starts.
According to BBC, Rwanda’s Health Minister has said that 20 people have been infected with this disease so far and at least 200 people are expected to have come in close contact with infected people. He has appealed to people to avoid physical contact with infected people and help people to control the disease. This virus belongs to the same family as Ebola.
What is Marburg virus?
According to the World Health Organization, Marburg is a rapidly spreading virus that can cause fever and bleeding as well as death. When a person is infected with this virus, then another person can also get infected by coming in contact with them. In this, another person can get infected by coming in contact with any kind of fluid or cut on skin, blood, etc. of the infected person. If fluid or blood falls from an infected person somewhere and then someone comes in contact with it, then this disease can also occur from this.
Where did this disease come from
In 1961, the first Marburg patient was found in Frankfurt, Germany. Around the same time, Marburg patients were also found in Belgrade and Serbia. Actually, an African green monkey was brought from Uganda for scientific work. This virus spread from this monkey in the laboratory. After this, it spread to many countries of Africa. After this, it stopped but in 2008, a person who went to Uganda again got it. In 2012, 15 people died in Uganda, 227 people in Angola and 128 people in Congo due to Marburg disease.
Symptoms of this disease
According to the Cleveland Clinic, when the Marburg virus infects someone, it takes five to seven days to reach the first phase. It causes high fever and chills. Along with this, there is severe headache, cough, muscle pain, joint pain, sore throat and skin rashes. After one or two days, it seems that all these symptoms have subsided but soon the second phase begins and there is severe pain in the chest and stomach. Diarrhea and vomiting occurs. Weight starts falling suddenly. Blood starts coming out of the stool. After this, bleeding starts, if immediate medical attention is not given, the patient dies.