On Friday, the Saudi Public Health Authority, Weqaya, recommended that citizens of the Kingdom avoid traveling to two countries in Africa due to the spread of the Marburg virus in them, according to the official news agency.SPA“.
An official source in “Weqaya” stated that, “with reference to what was announced by the health authorities in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the United Republic of Tanzania regarding monitoring an outbreak of Marburg virus disease, (Weqaya) recommends avoiding traveling to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the United Republic of Tanzania.”
The source confirmed that this recommendation is until “until the disease is controlled.”
The source advised the Saudis in the two countries to “follow the preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Authority, and follow the instructions of the local health authorities.”
And she was Omani Ministry of Health On Thursday, I issued an urgent statement regarding the Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.
The statement indicated that the ministry is closely monitoring the disease in these two countries, as it is highly contagious, and the death rate ranges from 60 to 80 percent.
And she called on her citizens not to travel to these two countries except for the most urgent necessity.
According to Global Health OrganizationMarburg virus disease can become an epidemic, and is associated with a high death rate, which may reach 88 percent.
In the early stage of the disease, it is difficult to distinguish by clinical diagnosis Marburg virus disease from many other tropical febrile illnesses because of the similarities in their clinical symptoms.
All other viral hemorrhagic fevers, in particular Ebola virus disease, need to be excluded, as well as malaria, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, rickettsial infections and plague.
Human infection with Marburg virus disease may result from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by bat colonies of the genus Rosetta.
The Marburg virus is spread through human-to-human transmission through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other fluids secreted by an infected person (through wounds or mucous membranes), and contact with surfaces or materials (such as bed linen, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.
Although there are no vaccines or approved antiviral therapies for this virus, supportive care – hydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms of the disease increases the likelihood of survival.
