(ETH) – A man who tragically died from the Marburg virus in West Africa could have spread it to 155 people according to a new report from The Daily Star.
The virus, which reportedly can leave victims brutally bleeding to death, has never been seen in that part of the world before – causing concern it may continue to spread, The Sun reports. Health professionals have warned that the Ebola-like virus, which has a dangerously high 88% fatality rate, could “spread far and wide” and needs to be sorted quickly.
Authorities are currently in Guinea monitoring 155 people who could have been in contact with the confirmed case, the World Health Organisation said. The patient died in south-eastern Guinea – which was where the West Africa Ebola outbreak originated in 2014.
According to the Daily Mail, Marburg is one of the deadliest pathogens known to exist, killing between half and 90 percent of everyone who gets infected. The virus is carried by fruit bats but can be spread between humans through blood and bodily fluids, as well as touching contaminated surfaces.
Infected patients can resemble ghosts, with deep-set eyes and expressionless faces, according to the WHO. Other symptoms include headache, diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting. After five days, many patients start to bleed under the skin, in internal organs or from openings such as the mouth, eyes, and ears. Patients often die from nervous system failure, not blood loss.