After the World Health Organization announced an outbreak of the Marburg virus in Africa, and said in a report on Monday that the virus had caused the death of 9 people in Equatorial Guinea, The Egyptian Ministry of Health warned of this disease.
She stated that the symptoms of infection with this deadly virus, known as “deadly”, appear suddenly and include a rise in temperature, severe headache and muscle pain, in addition to acute watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, nausea and vomiting..
She indicated that on the third day of infection, a rash could appear. In the period from the fifth day to the seventh day, symptoms of bleeding appear on the patient, along with the continuation of the fever. The patient also complains of muscle aches and pains, extreme lethargy, sometimes bleeding from the nose and gums, and states of irritability and aggression..
The ministry stated that the incubation period for the disease ranges from two to 21 days, while the period of infection after the onset of symptoms reaches 7 weeks, noting that treatment is done by giving intravenous solutions or oral fluids, as there are no antiviruses or vaccines yet..
She also confirmed that the patient is isolated in a single room and is prevented from mixing and marital practices, while the bodies are placed after death in bags that do not leak.
As for the prevention of the virus, it is done through disinfection with sodium hypochlorite solution.
In addition, it warned against transmission of infection through direct contact with infected people, their secretions, fluids, wounds, or mucous membranes, and contact with contaminated surfaces..
Like the Ebola virus, Marburg initially appears in bats and spreads among citizens through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, or surfaces such as contaminated bed sheets. (Arabic)