The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning travelers to Equatorial Guinea to take “enhanced precautions” and avoid non-essential travel to some areas of the African nation due to an outbreak of the deadly but rare Marburg virus.
Equatorial Guinea in February declared an outbreak of the Marburg virus, which has a fatality rate as high as 88% and is a close cousin to the deadly Ebola virus.
The CDC last week advised travelers to avoid contact with people who are sick, avoid touching blood or other body fluids, refrain from participating in funeral or burial rituals and to avoid touching fruit bats or nonhuman primates.
The disease can be passed by contacting the body fluids of a person infected with or who has died from Marburg. It is also spread by touching contaminated objects such as clothing and medical equipment or through contact with animals that are infected.
Symptoms of Marburg virus include fever, chills, muscle pain, rash, sore throat, weakness, vomiting or unexplained bleeding or bruising.
