On December 2nd, a very traumatic and deadly outbreak of the bleeding eye virus, or Marburg disease broke out in Rwanda, sparking concerns about a spread to other countries. With the U.S. The State Department issued a travel advisory on November 22, 2024, travelers are being subject to additional health screenings. There have been 15 casualties to the disease so far, with it having spread to 17 African countries over the past two months. With public health officials monitoring the spread of the disease, one may wonder what makes this virus so dangerous and lethal.
The bleeding eye virus has a fifty percent rate of survival and is thought to be one of the deadliest on earth, and could spread to even more African countries if they are already struggling to cope with other viruses. The Marburg disease being closely related to Ebola, causes damage to people’s blood vessels, causing bleeding from various locations, including the eyes. Although the virus also causes hemorrhage fever, the first signs of the disease only appear after a period of two to twenty one days. As time passes, the disease causes hemorrhage manifestations such as fresh blood of excretions and vomiting, bleeding from the nose, gums, eyes, and other organs. Often in fatal cases, death occurs after the eight or ninth day of infection.
Gladly, this disease is not airborne, but it is transmitted via bodily fluids, blood, and contact with contaminated surfaces. Although there are no adequate drugs or vaccines for the Marburg disease, medical providers can manage symptoms with oxygen, pain medications, and IV fluids. There is a risk of intercontinental spread, however, it is not contagious enough for a widespread outbreak. The CDC or the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has issued precautions to avoid infection such as avoiding contact with blood and bodily fluids of those experiencing symptoms, avoiding contact with items that have come in contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, and avoiding contact with non-human primates and Egyptian rousette bats where cases have been reported.
Although this disease is lethal and dangerous, there is a low chance that it may spread into something as serious as Coronavirus. As long as one follows precautions and proper measures, they can expect to find themselves safe and away from the eye bleeding virus, or Marburg disease.