admin German emergency services in full protective gear closed two railway tracks at Hamburg’s central station on Wednesday after two passengers were suspected of having contracted the deadly Marburg virus.
According to local reports, a 26-year-old medical student and his girlfriend began exhibiting flu-like symptoms while on a train from Frankfurt. The train was evacuated after health authorities suspected they had contracted the Marburg virus, a rare illness with a fatality rate as high as 88 per cent.
The concern arose because the student had recently arrived from Rwanda, where he had been in contact with a patient later diagnosed with the virus. Fortunately, the passengers later tested negative for the dangerous and contagious virus.
However, the emergency response prompts the question: what if it had been Marburg?
Rwanda is currently facing an outbreak that began on 27 September. According to the health ministry, the death toll has reached 11, with at least 36 confirmed cases.
“Marburg virus is a very severe infection. It’s found in Africa and is very similar to the Ebola virus,” explained Dr Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at Toronto General Hospital.
“We know there have been periodic outbreaks of Marburg virus over the last few decades. Whenever there’s an outbreak, it’s taken extremely seriously because it can be potentially fatal in a short time.”
While the situation in Hamburg was ultimately a false alarm, Dr Bogoch noted that local and international health agencies are remaining vigilant as the outbreak in Rwanda unfolds.
Here’s what you need to know about the virus.
What is Marburg Virus?
Marburg virus belongs to the same family as Ebola and causes hemorrhagic fever. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it has an average fatality rate of 50 per cent, although rates have reached as high as 88 per cent during previous outbreaks.
Symptoms typically include a sudden high fever, severe headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea, followed by uncontrolled bleeding. The virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, or via contaminated surfaces such as needles or bed sheets.
First identified in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia, in 1967, the virus emerged after laboratory work with African green monkeys from Uganda led to human infections. Since then, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
How Does Marburg Virus Spread?
The virus spreads to humans through prolonged exposure to caves or mines where fruit bats reside, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also be transmitted between humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with contaminated surfaces, such as blood. It is not airborne.
“It’s a communicable infection. The longer it takes to implement infection prevention and control measures, the more people can become infected, potentially leading to larger outbreaks,” explained Dr Isaac Bogoch. “Sadly, this means more individuals will suffer from this illness.”
Are There Vaccines or Treatments?
Currently, there are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg virus. Early supportive care, including rehydration and symptomatic treatment, can improve survival rates, according to the WHO.
While there is no licensed vaccine, Rwandan health officials announced on Thursday that they will commence clinical trials for experimental vaccines and treatments in the coming weeks.
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