Amid stories of two confirmed Marburg virus outbreaks within the African nations of Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) launched an alert final week for U.S. docs to maintain an eye fixed out for any potential circumstances.
“At the moment, the danger of MVD [Marburg virus disease] in america is low; nonetheless, clinicians ought to pay attention to the potential for imported circumstances,” the CDC said within the alert.
“You will need to systematically assess sufferers for the potential of viral hemorrhagic fevers.”
MARBURG VIRUS: CDC WARNS US PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS OF EBOLA-LIKE DISEASE
The CDC defines the Marburg virus — which has been in comparison with the Ebola virus — as a “uncommon however extreme hemorrhagic fever, which impacts each folks and non-human primates.”
Fox Information medical contributor and NYU Langone inside medication specialist Dr. Marc Siegel appeared on the Fox Information Channel to share his perspective on the virus.
Virus is just like Ebola
The Marburg virus isn’t new — it was first found in 1967, when outbreaks occurred in labs in Marburg and Frankfurt (each in Germany) and in Serbia (previously Belgrade, Yugoslavia).
Nonetheless, Dr. Siegel mentioned extra sustained outbreaks are taking place the place it was once sporadic.
“This can be a virus that comes from bats — it’s similar to Ebola,” he mentioned on “Fox & Pals” on Monday, April 10.
Fox Information medical contributor and NYU Langone inside medication specialist Dr. Marc Siegel (proper) appeared on “Fox and Pals” on Monday to share his perspective on the virus. Signs of Marburg embrace nausea, vomiting, sore throat, chest ache, belly ache and diarrhea. (Fox Information)
The Marburg virus is unfold by the Egyptian fruit bat, which is present in each Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, per the CDC.
“We noticed a reasonably large outbreak in Tanzania, which it seems to be to me like they’ve gotten management over, as only a few persons are being quarantined now,” mentioned Dr. Siegel. “However in Equatorial Guinea, there’s an issue.”
Dr. Siegel expressed concern that the governments of the nations the place the Marburg outbreaks have occurred aren’t sharing the total particulars. (Fox Information)
Signs of Marburg embrace nausea, vomiting, sore throat, chest ache, belly ache and diarrhea, the CDC said.
Extra extreme circumstances can result in irritation of the pancreas, jaundice, delirium, extreme weight reduction, shock, hemorrhaging and organ failure.
As a consequence of its similarity to the Ebola virus, the CDC recommends that docs comply with the identical protocols for an infection prevention and management when coping with circumstances of the Marburg virus.
‘They’re hiding circumstances’
Dr. Siegel expressed concern that the governments of the nations the place the Marburg outbreaks have occurred aren’t sharing the total particulars.
“It’s the standard drawback — they’re not telling us something.”
“It’s the standard drawback — they’re not telling us something,” he mentioned. “They’re hiding circumstances. There have most likely been not less than 29 deaths.”
Dr. Siegel additionally condemned the World Health Group (WHO) for not reacting appropriately.
“The World Health Group, as regular, is limp — not doing what they’re speculated to be doing right here, which might be to get a vaccine in there,” he mentioned.
Officers in Equatorial Guinea first declared a Marburg outbreak on Feb. 13. The primary Tanzanian outbreak was declared on March 21. (Fox Information)
Dr. Siegel famous that there’s a vaccine for the Marburg virus — and that the really useful plan of action can be to conduct a “ring vaccination” across the people who find themselves most affected.
With the ring vaccination method, a vaccine is given to an individual who’s uncovered to a virus, together with anybody else who has been in shut contact with that particular person, per WebMD.
This technique was used to assist finish the smallpox outbreaks within the mid-1900s.
Marburg virus isn’t airborne
One piece of excellent information that Dr. Siegel shared: Not like the COVID-19 virus, the Marburg virus doesn’t unfold by means of the air.
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“It’s fairly secure, so it doesn’t mutate the best way we noticed with COVID,” he mentioned on “Fox & Pals.”
“It spreads by means of shut contact by means of secretions.”
Secretions embrace bodily fluids corresponding to blood, saliva, plasma, semen and urine.
“However it’s a horrible virus and it causes a fairly excessive demise fee,” Dr. Siegel famous. “We positively must keep watch over it, as a result of we don’t wish to see any circumstances right here [in the U.S.] — however we don’t have management of the state of affairs.”
The Marburg virus is unfold by the Egyptian fruit bat, which is present in each Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, per the CDC. (Getty Photos)
“And once more, I’m disenchanted in each the WHO and the native governments, as a result of it may well clearly unfold round Western Africa,” he added.
Marburg not prone to change into the subsequent pandemic
Dr. Siegel was clear: He doesn’t suppose the Marburg virus will change into the subsequent pandemic, as “it’s too secure to mutate in that path.”
“In nature, this isn’t going to trigger a pandemic.”
He did specific concern, nonetheless, about viruses being “performed with” within the lab.
“I can’t inform you 100% that one thing received’t occur in a lab,” he mentioned. “That’s the place my concern is. However in nature, this isn’t going to trigger a pandemic — it’s solely going to trigger sporadic outbreaks. And it may be managed, because it simply was in Tanzania.”
Because of the Marburg virus’ similarity to the Ebola virus, the CDC recommends that docs comply with the identical protocols for an infection prevention and management when coping with circumstances (enlarged particles of the Marburg virus pictured). (Getty Photos)
Vice President Kamala Harris was simply in Tanzania a few weeks in the past, mentioned Dr. Siegel — however there is a “actually low likelihood” that she would have been uncovered.
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“We should always not over-hype this, however we ought to be conscious,” the physician mentioned. “And our public well being organizations, particularly the WHO, are usually not successfully coming to bear on it.”
Officers in Equatorial Guinea first declared a Marburg outbreak on Feb. 13.
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The primary Tanzanian outbreak was declared on March 21.
There are at the moment no confirmed circumstances of the Marburg virus within the U.S.
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