Marburg virus ‘will not become the next pandemic’ but should be monitored, doctor says

Amid reviews of two confirmed Marburg virus outbreaks in the African nations of Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched an alert final week for U.S. medical doctors to maintain an eye fixed out for any potential instances.

“Currently, the risk of MVD [Marburg virus disease] in the United States is low; however, clinicians should be aware of the potential for imported cases,” the CDC acknowledged in the alert. 

“It is important to systematically assess patients for the possibility of viral hemorrhagic fevers.”

MARBURG VIRUS: CDC WARNS US PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS OF EBOLA-LIKE DISEASE

The CDC defines the Marburg virus — which has been in comparison with the Ebola virus — as a “rare but severe hemorrhagic fever, which affects both people and non-human primates.”

Fox News medical contributor and NYU Langone inner drugs specialist Dr. Marc Siegel appeared on the Fox News Channel to share his perspective on the virus.

Virus is just like Ebola

The Marburg virus isn’t new — it was first found in 1967, when outbreaks occurred in labs in Marburg and Frankfurt (each in Germany) and in Serbia (previously Belgrade, Yugoslavia).

However, Dr. Siegel stated extra sustained outbreaks are taking place the place it used to be sporadic. 

“This is a virus that comes from bats — it’s very similar to Ebola,” he stated on “Fox & Friends” on Monday, April 10. 

The Marburg virus is unfold by the Egyptian fruit bat, which is present in each Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, per the CDC.

“We saw a pretty big outbreak in Tanzania, which it looks to me like they’ve gotten control over, as very few people are being quarantined now,” stated Dr. Siegel. “But in Equatorial Guinea, there’s a problem.”

Dr. Siegel expressed concern that the governments of the nations the place the Marburg outbreaks have occurred aren’t sharing the full particulars. (Fox News)

Symptoms of Marburg embrace nausea, vomiting, sore throat, chest ache, belly ache and diarrhea, the CDC acknowledged. 

More extreme instances can result in irritation of the pancreas, jaundice, delirium, extreme weight reduction, shock, hemorrhaging and organ failure.

Due to its similarity to the Ebola virus, the CDC recommends that medical doctors observe the similar protocols for an infection prevention and management when coping with instances of the Marburg virus. 

‘They’re hiding instances’

Dr. Siegel expressed concern that the governments of the nations the place the Marburg outbreaks have occurred aren’t sharing the full particulars.

“It’s the usual problem — they’re not telling us anything.”

“It’s the usual problem — they’re not telling us anything,” he stated. “They’re hiding cases. There have probably been at least 29 deaths.”

Dr. Siegel additionally condemned the World Health Organization (WHO) for not reacting appropriately. 

“The World Health Organization, as usual, is limp — not doing what they’re supposed to be doing here, which would be to get a vaccine in there,” he stated. 

Officials in Equatorial Guinea first declared a Marburg outbreak on Feb. 13. The first Tanzanian outbreak was declared on March 21. (Fox News)

Dr. Siegel famous that there’s a vaccine for the Marburg virus — and that the beneficial plan of action would be to conduct a “ring vaccination” round the people who find themselves most affected.

With the ring vaccination strategy, a vaccine is given to an individual who’s uncovered to a virus, together with anybody else who has been in shut contact with that particular person, per WebMD. 

This technique was used to assist finish the smallpox outbreaks in the mid-1900s.

Marburg virus is not airborne

One piece of excellent information that Dr. Siegel shared: Unlike the COVID-19 virus, the Marburg virus does not unfold by the air.

CDC WARNS OF MARBURG VIRUS AFTER DEADLY AFRICA OUTBREAK

“It’s pretty stable, so it doesn’t mutate the way we saw with COVID,” he stated on “Fox & Friends.” 

“It spreads through close contact through secretions.”

Secretions embrace bodily fluids akin to blood, saliva, plasma, semen and urine.

“But it is a horrible virus and it causes a pretty high death rate,” Dr. Siegel famous. “We definitely need to keep an eye on it, because we don’t want to see any cases here [in the U.S.] — but we don’t have control of the situation.”

The Marburg virus is unfold by the Egyptian fruit bat, which is present in each Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, per the CDC. (Getty Images)

“And again, I’m disappointed in both the WHO and the local governments, because it can clearly spread around Western Africa,” he added.

Marburg not prone to become the next pandemic

Dr. Siegel was clear: He does not suppose the Marburg virus will become the next pandemic, as “it’s too stable to mutate in that direction.”

“In nature, this is not going to cause a pandemic.”

He did specific concern, nonetheless, about viruses being “played with” in the lab.

“I can’t tell you 100% that something won’t happen in a lab,” he stated. “That’s where my concern is. But in nature, this is not going to cause a pandemic — it’s only going to cause sporadic outbreaks. And it can be controlled, as it just was in Tanzania.”

Due to the Marburg virus’ similarity to the Ebola virus, the CDC recommends that medical doctors observe the similar protocols for an infection prevention and management when coping with instances (enlarged particles of the Marburg virus pictured). (Getty Images)

Vice President Kamala Harris was simply in Tanzania a few weeks in the past, stated Dr. Siegel — but there is a “really low chance” that she would have been uncovered.

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“We should not over-hype this, but we should be aware,” the doctor stated. “And our public health organizations, especially the WHO, are not effectively coming to bear on it.”

Officials in Equatorial Guinea first declared a Marburg outbreak on Feb. 13.

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The first Tanzanian outbreak was declared on March 21.

There are at the moment no confirmed instances of the Marburg virus in the U.S.