So far five people have died in Tanzania due to the Marburg virus. Photo: File
Tanzania: Africa has seen a resurgence of viruses like Ebola. So far, 8 people have been sickened by Marburg virus while 5 people have died.
The first outbreak of Marburg virus in the region was noted on 25th February of the same year and now again on 21st March its epidemic spread was seen which even the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its concern. It is similar to the Ebola virus and has already caused more than 11,000 deaths in Africa between 2014 and 2016.
It consists of an attack of regurgitation fever in which the patient dies due to suffering and hemorrhage. Marburg virus has been confirmed after PCR tests in several laboratories in Dakar, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea. But this incident is from February while Tanzania has been engulfed by it in March.
In Tanzania, five people from the same house have died, while another 161 people from the surrounding area have been admitted to hospital and are being cared for. “We are ramping up testing capacity,” said Matshidiso Mwiti, WHO Africa officer. In this regard, cooperation with the government and other institutions is ongoing.
It should be noted that Tanzania is already struggling with epidemics of covid-19, dengue and cholera (cholera) and now it has been burdened with the Marburg virus which is no less a challenge.
Marburg virus disease (MVD), also known as Marburg septic fever, spreads rapidly through human body fluids and has a fatality rate of 50%, meaning that if there are two cases, one could theoretically die.
Early symptoms of Marburg virus appear quickly, including high fever, acute cholera, muscle spasms, and other symptoms. In the next five to seven days, bleeding starts, which is life-threatening.
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