By - Che Browndon, Medically Reviewed by DR. Junior Yong
Written-on - February 21 2023
The Marburg Virus Disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever that affects both humans and nonhuman primates and is thought to be spread by Egyptian fruit bats. Equatorial Guinea declared the latest Marburg virus epidemic on February 13, 2023, following the deaths of at least nine people. Equatorial Guinea is a country along Central Africa's west coast. Samples were sent to the Institut Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal, and one of the eight samples confirmed positive. Since then, the country has reported nine deaths and sixteen suspected cases of Marburg Virus Disease with more additional cases popping up. The virus's initial outbreak was detected in Germany in 1967, with 25 main infections and seven deaths, as well as six nonlethal secondary cases. It was first linked to infected grivets, which are old moneys with long white hair tufts on the sides of their faces. These grivets were brought from Uganda during that period of time. Zimbabwe, Kenya, and even Angola have all had previous incidents.
The Marburg virus is a very virulent disease that produces hemorrhagic fever and has a case-fatality ratio of 23 to 90%, making it extremely lethal. Fever, chills, headache, rash, nausea, vomiting, chest discomfort, sore throat, dehydration, abdominal pain, and diarrhea are all symptoms of the virus. Organ failure, multi-organ malfunction, and extensive hemorrhaging are among the severe symptoms. Clinical diagnosis of the virus has been proved to be difficult because its symptoms are similar to those of other diseases such as Ebola, typhoid fever, cholera, and even Malaria.
Marburg spreads between humans through direct contact with infected individuals' blood or other bodily fluids, such as siliva, perspiration, urine, sperm, and other bodily fluids. It can also be spread through touch with surfaces contaminated with the virus from an infected person or a person who died from the illness, such as clothing.
According to CDC. "There is no specific treatment for Maburg Virus Disease. Supportive hospital therapy should be utilized, which includes balancing the patient's fluids and electrolytes, maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure, replacing lost blood and clotting factors, and treatment for any comlicating infections". Despite the fact that the Marburg virus sickness is identical to the Ebola virus, there is currently no known cure or vaccine for it.
Covid-19 is an illness caused by SARS-Cov-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), a coronavirus disease that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in early December 2019. Common symptoms include cough, headache, exhaustion, breathing difficulty, loss of smell, and loss of taste. This virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in 81% of those who contract it, while severe symptoms affect 14%. It has a 7 to 14-day incubation period. Covid-19 is airborne because it is spread when people breathe in infected aerosols and small air particles containing the virus. Infected persons expel such particles when they breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze. According to a study conducted by the University of Bristol in UK, SARS-CoV-2 loses most of its potential to spread from one person to another 20 minutes after becoming airborne. This suggests that the virus can survive in air for more than 20 minutes, depending on humidity. This is only an overview of the virus.
Despite its lethality, Marburg will not be the next Coronavirus. This is due to the fact that Coronavirus is airborne, whereas Marburg is not. Airborne infections are ones that can be contracted simply by breathing. When people cough, sneeze, or even chat, these diseases spread through the air. As a result, bacteria can thrive in the air, making it difficult to confine. Coronavirus has about 600 million cases worldwide, according to worldometers. Because it is airborne, the bacteria lasts longer in the air and spreads more quickly. So, no, Marburg will not be the next coronavirus.
Copyright © 2025 ComicCone.com. All Rights Reserved