UAE issues travel advisory: What is Marburg virus and how dangerous is it?

UAE issues travel advisory: What is Marburg virus and how dangerous is it?

Disease is passed on to people from fruit bats and is from the same virus family responsible for the deadly Ebola

FILE. Two health workers, wearing protection outfits, leave the isolated area where people infected by the deadly Marburg virus are treated at the Americo Boa Vida hospital. Photo: AFP

By Web Desk Published: Sun 2 Apr 2023, 1:49 PM

The UAE has issued a travel advisory for citizens and has recommended against travelling to Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania due to the outbreak of Marburg virus.

The foreign ministry urged citizens to postpone travel to these two African countries and has called on citizens who are living or are on a visit to the two nations to take precautions and follow the safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.

Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are facing outbreaks of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola, the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier.

Here's what we know about the disease:

The Marburg virus disease is a viral haemorrhagic fever that can have a fatality rate of up to 88%, according to the WHO. The virus causes severe fever, often accompanied by bleeding and organ failure.

Symptoms

Fever

Severe headache

Muscle pains

Diarrhoea

Stomach pain

Nausea

Vomiting

Marburg is passed on to people from