Oman has recommended against travel to Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania due to the outbreak of the Marburg virus.
The Ministry of Health has issued a warning against travelling to these African countries. The warning was issued in the wake of an outbreak of this contagious and deadly MVD.
The MoH's Directorate-General of Disease Control and Surveillance and the Emergency Management Center, said efforts are being made to contain the outbreak within its current geographical scope. However, until the course of this outbreak and till the results of the current procedures gain clarity, it advises the public to postpone travel to countries affected by Marburg virus disease, except in the case of extreme necessity.
In the event of an urgent need to travel to affected countries, travellers must take the following precautions to avoid exposure to the disease:
1. Avoid direct contact with patients who have symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and rashes. Also, avoid visiting endemic areas with Marburg virus disease.
2. Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids of other people.
3. Avoid contact with bats, as well as avoid visiting caves and mines where they live.
4. Avoid contact with animals such as chimpanzees and gorillas.
5. Those who arrive from Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania must isolate themselves from others and go to the nearest hospital or clinic if they develop fever, chills, muscle aches, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding from anywhere, or bruising in the body during or after travel (up to 21 days), and to disclose to medical personnel that they have travelled to an area with Marburg virus disease or have been in contact with people infected with the disease or its symptoms .
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged people to postpone travel to countries affected by the Marburg virus disease (MVD), unless necessary.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Healthy Authority (WEQAYA) also advised its citizens not to travel to the two African countries until the disease was brought under control, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
The death toll from the outbreak of Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea has reached nine, the health ministry said on Thursday amid World Health Organization estimates the real toll is double that.
The Marburg virus causes severe fever, often accompanied by bleeding and organ failure.
It is part of the so-called filovirus family that also includes Ebola, which has wreaked havoc in several previous outbreaks in Africa.
Last week, Tanzania announced five deaths from Marburg, but insisted it has the spread under control after sending a rapid response team to the northwestern region of Kagera which borders Uganda.
The suspected natural source of the Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, which carries the pathogen but does not fall sick from it.
There are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments, but potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies, as well as early candidate vaccines being evaluated.
POINTS FOR GRAPH
1. Avoid direct contact with patients who have symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and rashes. Also, avoid visiting endemic areas with Marburg virus disease.
2. Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids of other people.
3. Avoid contact with bats, as well as avoid visiting caves and mines where they live.
4. Avoid contact with animals such as chimpanzees and gorillas.
Symptoms
Fever, chills, muscle aches, rash, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding from anywhere, or bruises in the body.
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