Killer virus suspected to have arrived in Europe (original) (raw)

Europe is on alert as the Marburg virus claims nine lives and possibly makes its deadly presence known on the continent. A 26-year-old medical student and his girlfriend sparked a major health scare after falling ill with symptoms of the lethal virus at Hamburg train station, having recently returned from Rwanda.

Emergency response teams, clad in protective gear, swarmed a train from Frankfurt, where the couple had developed flu-like symptoms. Passengers were hurriedly evacuated and part of the train station was closed briefly amid intense scrutiny.

A mild case of vomiting was reported by one of the suspected Marburg patients, who sought help from the emergency services. "He then called the fire department because he suspected something was wrong," shared a representative from the Hamburg Fire Department with Die Welt. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here

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The young student had flown from Rwanda and reportedly had contact with a Marburg-diagnosed patient, raising concerns about potential exposure. Known to cause a severe haemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus belongs to the same family as Ebola and can have a fatality rate as high as 88%, though the World Health Organization (WHO) states the average is around 50%.

The WHO advises that early medical attention and rehydration may enhance survival odds with this devastating illness, reports Birmingham Live. Typical symptoms include a sudden high fever, severe headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by uncontrolled bleeding.

The student and his girlfriend were admitted to the Eppendorf University Hospital, known for its specialisation in tropical diseases, with their luggage being seized. While there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, Rwanda's health minister has indicated that several promising candidates could soon begin trials.

These include vaccine candidates developed by non-profit organisations such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute, which confirmed it was collaborating with Rwandan officials on the outbreak, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).

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