THIS govt company in HUGE debt, defaults on bank loans worth whopping Rs...
Donald Trump makes BIG proposal to Ukraine over Russia war, asks Zelenskyy, 'Can you hit...'
DNA TV Show: US President Donald Trump gives Putin 50-day deadline to end war with Ukraine
Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani become parents to a baby girl
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance's BIG win as Delhi HC directs e-commerce platforms to...
Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Dhaka to be demolished by Bangladesh govt? Mamata Banerjee says...
UIDAI shares BIG update on children above 7 with Aadhaar: 'To face risk of...'
Meet woman who started as trainee, will now become CEO of..., won major award at Cannes, she is...
EAM Jaishankar issues BIG statement during first China visit in 5 years: 'The three evils...'
Golden Temple receives bomb threat again, second RDX email in 24 hours, probe underway
Rs 10000000000: Indians losing huge amount of money every month due to...
ITR Filing AY 2025-26: Last date NOT same for all, check your date if you are...
What is non-veg milk? Know its connection with India-US trade talks
India to spend Rs 60000 crore on this fighter jet, cheaper than Rafale, F-35, it is loaded with...
LILPEPE Crypto Price Prediction 2025, 2026 – 2030: Little Pepe Price To Hit $0.50 Soon?
US-India tariff deal soon? THESE are main stumbling blocks, India may face increased tariff of Rs...
Nimisha Priya case: One day before execution, BIG relief for Kerala nurse jailed in Yemen
Axiom-4 Dragon spacecraft lands safely on Earth, PM Modi welcomes Shubhanshu Shukla
After Kiara Advani, Vikrant Massey quits Ranveer Singh-starrer Don 3; here's why: Report
Will India-China relations improve further after S Jaishankar meets Chinese President Xi Jinping?
RCB star bowler Yash Dayal gets BIG relief in sexual exploitation case, Allahabad HC orders...
Producer-actor Dheeraj Kumar passes away at 79
Amaal Mallik says Anu Malik ruined his father Daboo Malik’s career: 'My dad dealt with...'
Elon Musk's Tesla opens first India showroom in Mumbai's BKC: Project took ... days to be completed
SCO Meet: S Jaishankar meets Chinese President Xi Jinping, first since 2020 Galwan clash
BSE receives bomb threat, police launch search operation
Zomato boss Deepinder Goyal ropes in Shah Rukh Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, AR Rahman for..., watch
In 2nd such incident in 2 days, Delhi's St Stephen's College, school in Dwarka receive bomb threats
Storm, heavy rains batter parts of US: What is reason behind New Jersey, New York floods?
Shubhanshu Shukla to return from ISS today: When and where to watch Axiom 4 touchdown live
Haryanvi singer Fazilpuria targeted in roadside firing in Gurugram
Kavya Maran makes BIG change in SRH, appoints this former India speedster as..., he is...
Elon Musk's Grok inks deal worth $200 with Pentagon amid fallout with Donald Trump
UPSC CSE Mains 2025 schedule out, to be held on THESE dates, check full timetable
Amritsar’s Golden Temple receives bomb threat, email says...; police beef up security
Watch Shubhanshu Shukla showcasing stunning zero-gravity experiments on board ISS using...
HEALTH
The Marburg virus is part of the filovirus family, which also includes the Ebola virus. It causes a severe hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of up to 88%.
Rwanda is currently facing its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly lethal hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. The virus has claimed six lives, as reported by Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana in a recent video statement. According to the minister, 20 individuals have been infected so far, with most of the fatalities occurring among healthcare professionals, particularly those working in intensive care units.
Efforts are underway to trace anyone who may have been in contact with the infected individuals to prevent the spread of the virus. This outbreak has brought international attention to Rwanda as health authorities work to contain the situation.
About Marburg Virus
The Marburg virus is part of the filovirus family, which also includes the Ebola virus. It causes a severe hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of up to 88%. The virus is thought to spread to humans from fruit bats, specifically the Rousettus bat, and then through human-to-human transmission via contact with bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, and sweat from infected individuals.
The virus was first discovered in 1967 during outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, as well as Belgrade in Serbia. Since then, it has caused occasional outbreaks, mostly in African countries, though none have been previously reported in Rwanda until now.
Symptoms
The Marburg virus can incubate in the body for 2 to 21 days before symptoms appear. Initially, patients experience a sudden onset of high fever, accompanied by a severe headache and malaise. Muscle pain and discomfort are also common in the early stages of the disease.
As the infection progresses, patients may develop watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, usually by the third day. In more severe cases, bleeding begins within a week of infection, which can involve multiple areas of the body, including the nose, gums, and digestive tract. Patients may also develop a characteristic rash, and in fatal cases, death usually occurs 8 to 9 days after the onset of symptoms due to massive blood loss and organ failure.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosing Marburg virus disease can be challenging due to its similarity to other tropical diseases like malaria, typhoid fever, and dengue. Laboratory tests are necessary to confirm infection, including reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays and antibody detection methods such as ELISA. However, due to the high biohazard risk of handling patient samples, these tests must be conducted under maximum containment conditions.
Treatment and Prevention
There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine for the Marburg virus. Medical care for infected individuals focuses on managing symptoms and maintaining hydration through oral or intravenous fluids. Experimental treatments, including immune therapies, blood products, and antiviral drugs, are being studied but are not yet widely available.
The best prevention strategy is strict infection control, especially for healthcare workers who are at high risk. Wearing protective gear, isolating patients, and practicing safe burial procedures for those who have died from the virus are critical in preventing further transmission.