The likelihood of exposure and contamination from the is currently considered low Marburg virus for EU/EEA citizens traveling to or residing in the affected areas in Rwanda given that person-to-person transmission requires contact with bodily fluids of a symptomatic case, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says.

In the event of introduction of MVD cases into the EU/EEA, the likelihood of further transmission is considered very low if appropriate measures are implemented.

What is Marburg virus

The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as Ebola and is fatal in up to 90% of cases.

According to the WHO, it is transmitted to humans by contact with fruit bats, the natural host of the virus, and then transmitted from person to person through contact with body fluids and contaminated surfaces and materials.

Initial symptoms start suddenly, with high fever, headache and fatigue, while muscle aches and pains are a common feature. On the third day of the disease, patients may suffer from diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Between the fifth and seventh day, many patients develop severe bleeding signs, viz bleeding.

Patients may start vomiting blood or see it in their stool, but they may also bleed from the nose, gums and vagina, according to the WHO.

In fatal cases, death usually occurs about eight or nine days after the initial symptoms.

Is there a cure?

While there is no vaccine for Marburg virus, a number of treatments and vaccines are under development.

The WHO lists the virus among the pathogens that could cause the next pandemic, making it a top priority for vaccine development.

In 2023 WHO convened experts to evaluate the most promising vaccine candidates to protect against the disease.

This summer, scientists at the University of Oxford began the first human trials to test a vaccine against the Marburg virus.

The first case in Europe

At the same time, concern has been caused by the news that two passengers at Hamburg’s main train station were considered yesterday afternoon as suspected cases of the Marburg virus.

The competent authorities were put on alert taking all the necessary control and protection measures.

It is about a 26-year-old medical student and his partner, who presented with flu-like symptoms. The train they were on, which arrived in Hamburg from Frankfurt, was immediately evacuated, while police closed two tracks at the station for several hours.

The young man and his partner arrived in Frankfurt by air yesterday morning from Rwanda, where they appear to have been in contact with a patient who was later diagnosed as infected with the Marburg virus, according to Bild.

Tips for travelers

Travelers to Rwanda should be aware of the ongoing outbreak in Rwanda and the affected areas and follow the advice of local health authorities. They should be advised to:

• Avoid contact with anyone showing symptoms of MVD (such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or bleeding) or contact with materials and surfaces contaminated by the body fluids of infected individuals. This includes avoiding contact with corpses of infected people and the burial process.
• They avoid visiting healthcare facilities in MVD-affected areas for non-emergency medical care or non-medical reasons.
• They avoid habitats that may be inhabited by bats, such as caves or mines, as well as any form of close contact with wild animals, including monkeys, forest antelopes, rodents and bats, both live and dead, and eating any type of wild animal meat.
• Travelers returning from Rwanda to the EU/EEA should be advised to seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms compatible with MVD and report their travel history, as well as possible exposure history and close contacts.

ECDC is in contact with WHO Europe and CDC Africa to obtain more information and is developing guidance for EU public health authorities.