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'Bleeding Eye' Virus Sparks Travel Warning and Worldwide Concern — What Is the Incurable Disease?
Cara Lynn Shultz
December 2, 2024 at 12:45 PM
The Marburg virus, which causes bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth, can be fatal in up to 90% of those infected
Science Photo Library/Getty
Stock image of the Marburg virus.
A warning has been issued to travelers over the spread of three diseases, including the Marburg virus. It’s a close cousin of Ebola that’s been dubbed the “bleeding eye” virus due to one of its symptoms.
Marburg, Mpox and Oropouch (commonly called “sloth fever”) are spreading in multiple countries, according to the UK Department of Health’s site, Travel Health Pro.
Marburg is a rare but “severe hemorrhagic fever that can cause serious illness and death,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says, adding that there is no treatment or vaccine for it. But, if detected early, supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival, according to the Africa CDC.
Initial symptoms, the CDC says, include fever, chills, headaches, a rash with both flat and raised bumps, and sore throat. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, because it’s hemorrhagic, it “damages blood vessels and causes bleeding” — often from the eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.
Science Photo Library/Getty
Stock image of the Marburg virus rash.
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There have been 66 illnesses and 15 deaths in Rwanda, according to the CDC, but many more may be infected. The CDC also says there are no known cases outside of Rwanda, and the risk of infection with this virus in the U.S. is low.