What The FAQ: Is Marburg virus the new Coronavirus and should we be scared about it?

On August 2, an adult man in West Africa died of internal bleeding and multiple organ failure. Now, this has brought a lot of fear to the global healthcare community because this certain person from Guinea had contracted the deadly Marburg virus. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has the potential to spread quickly, like the novel Coronavirus. Here's all that we know about it.

Is this a new virus?
Not really. This is because, in 2008, two independent cases were reported in travellers who visited a cave inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies in Uganda. So, it is believed that this virus too like Nipah and the Coronavirus is spread from bats to humans.

Not just that, there were outbreaks of the virus in Serbia and Germany in 1967.

How does it spread?
The mode of its spreading is quite similar to that of COVID-19. Marburg can spread through direct contact,  blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluid. One can also get infected through contaminated surfaces.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include body pain, muscle aches, fever and headaches. In extreme cases, internal bleedings can occur too.

Is there a treatment or a vaccine for this?
Not yet. The Public Health Agency of Canada has a candidate rVSV vaccine for Marburg virus (rVSV-MARV). However, it was discontinued later.