What to know about the viral disease now that the WHO has confirmed an epidemic of Marburg sickness in Equatorial Guinea
According to the World Health Organization, Equatorial Guinea has verified its first-ever Marburg illness epidemic and that the virus associated with the Ebola outbreak is to blame for at least nine fatalities in the tiny West African nation.
After receiving a warning from a local health official last week, samples from Equatorial Guinea were sent to a lab in Senegal to identify the disease's cause. As a result, the U.N. health agency verified the pandemic in a statement on Monday.
According to the WHO, there have been nine deaths and 16 suspected cases, all of which include symptoms like fever, tiredness, diarrhea, and vomiting. The organization announced that it was sending medical specialists to assist Equatorial Guinean authorities in containing the outbreak and protective gear for hundreds of workers.
What is the Marburg virus?
Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is carried by bats and spreads to humans by direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces, such as dirty bed linens.
According to the Centers for Sickness Control, Marburg produces Marburg virus disease, a hemorrhagic fever that can harm the body's organs and cause bleeding.
According to the CDC, the six Ebola virus species and the Marburg virus are members of the filovirus family.
According to the CDC, the uncommon virus was initially discovered in 1967 when it caused sickness outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade simultaneously.
According to the CDC, 31 persons exposed to the virus while studying monkeys were ill, and seven of them passed away.
Marburg virus disease symptoms
The incubation period for the disease is anywhere from 2 days to three weeks, according to the WHO.
* Intense fever and a headache are the first symptoms, according to the WHO.
*According to the WHO, many people endure vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain for up to a week a few days after the illness starts.
*According to the WHO, severe instances come with bleeding during the first week. Some individuals pass blood in their feces or vomit it. According to the WHO, patients have experienced bleeding from their gums, nose, and genitalia.
*Patients may exhibit confusion, irritability, and aggression when the illness affects the nervous system.
According to the WHO, the majority of fatal cases last just over a week, and deaths are frequently followed by significant blood loss and shock.
According to a CDC poll, teen girls are more violent, depressed, and in danger of suicide than ever before.
