The Omani Ministry of Health issued an emergency statement on the outbreak of Marburg virus in Tanzania and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

The statement indicated that today, Thursday, the ministry is closely monitoring the disease in both these countries, which is highly contagious and has a mortality rate of 60 to 80 percent.

He has also called on his citizens not to travel to these two countries except for the most urgent needs.

Marburg virus is the causative agent of the disease, which has an 88% mortality rate.

According to the World Health Organization, the disease was first identified in 1967 after successive outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia.

The Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is the natural host of the virus from which the virus is transmitted to humans.

How does the virus spread?

The virus is spread between humans by contact with blood, secretions, organs or other fluids secreted from an infected person (through skin or mucous membrane wounds) and surfaces or objects contaminated with these fluids. linen and fabric, for example).

Healthcare workers have previously been exposed to the disease while caring for confirmed or suspected patients. Burial rituals involving contact with the body of the deceased lead to the spread of Marburg virus disease.

High fever and headache

The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days. Symptoms of the disease caused by the Marburg virus begin suddenly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise.

On the third day, the patient may have severe watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting. Between the fifth and seventh days after the onset of symptoms, many patients develop acute hemorrhagic symptoms, and in critical cases there is usually some form of bleeding, often from multiple sites.

In fatal cases, death often occurs between the eighth and ninth day after the onset of symptoms, and is usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock.

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