WHO warns of potential new global pandemic threat

Baghdad - INA

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the world is facing a potential outbreak of the Marburg virus, an incurable virus that remains largely unknown to scientists.

The WHO cautioned that there is a risk of the virus spreading to neighboring countries, with cases reported in regions bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda.

The organization further noted that the risk of international spread is high, as confirmed cases have been reported in the capital, which hosts an international airport and has road links to several cities in East Africa.

Western media outlets reported that Rwanda's Ministry of Health confirmed the country's first outbreak of the virus, with cases detected in seven out of the nation's 30 districts.

According to these reports, over 70% of the confirmed cases in the capital, Kigali, involve healthcare workers.

Scientists are particularly alarmed by the fact that an individual suspected of being infected may have left Rwanda. The origin of the virus and its transmission patterns remain unclear.

The Marburg virus is transmitted to humans through fruit bats and spreads among people via direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as through contaminated surfaces and materials.

Symptoms of the virus include severe headaches, abdominal pain, and bleeding from the nose and mouth. Supportive care, such as oral or intravenous rehydration and symptom management, is used to improve the chances of patient survival.