Marburg Virus: Another Virus Outbreak to Watch Out!

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A new virus outbreak has been detected in Equatorial Guinea which kills at least 9 people
and sickened at least 16 people. This deadly virus is the same with Ebola virus family, the filovirus,
which can cause hemorrhagic fever. The country's Health Minister, Mitoha Ondo'o Ayekaba, has
issued a health alert, and the province and district of Kie-Ntem and Mongomo are now quarantined.
A lockdown plan has been enacted after consultation with World Health Organization (WHO) and
United Nations experts.

Marburg is a virus that can kill up to 88 percent of the people who get it. When someone
gets Marburg, they usually get sick within a week. Symptoms include a very high fever, headache,
and tiredness. As the illness gets worse, there may be bleeding inside several organs, and the body
may stop working.

Marburg is naturally carried by African fruit bats, and people and primates can get sick when
they are close to these bats. People who have the virus can pass it on to others through their bodily
fluids, surfaces, or objects.

There is no way to treat or prevent the virus right now. Patients usually get fluids through an
IV or by mouth, or they are given medicines to treat certain symptoms. Several possible treatments
for Marburg infections are now being tested, and candidates for a vaccine have moved on to Phase 1
testing.

In the current outbreak, one of the eight possible cases was confirmed by the Institute
Pasteur laboratory in Senegal, with help from the WHO, after a district health official sent out a
warning on February 7.

Marburg is highly infectious. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said
that the swift and decisive action by Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease,
emergency response can ramp up rapidly to save lives and stop the virus as soon as possible.

This virus has similarity to COVID-19 signs and symptoms. That’s why we have to take extra
careful, be watchful and always follow the health protocols to avoid contacting this virus.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Marburg virus particles (blue) both budding and attached to
the surface of infected VERO E6 cells (orange). Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated
Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID
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