MoH: Marburg virus transmits through contact with patient's bodily fluids

KUWAIT, April 1 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ministry of Health stated Saturday that Marburg virus is transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the infected person's blood or other bodily fluids.
In a press statement, the ministry's Spokesman Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad pointed out that the virus incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
The early symptoms of infection include severe headache, high fever, weakness, muscle pain, he noted, adding that the late symptoms are nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, severe diarrhea and blood in the vomit or stool.
Dr. Al-Sanad said people must avoid contacting with the body fluids of any suspected infected person and his/her close contacts. He regretted that so far there is no effective vaccine against the virus.
Dr. Al-Sanad, however, assured the public that the level of the epidemiological situation in Kuwait is very low due to the scarcity of travel to and the absence of direct flights with the countries where the current outbreak occurred.
Regionally, no case of the disease was detected in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries or the Eastern Mediterranean region in the current outbreak, he said.
Earlier, Kuwait's Foreign Ministry appealed to its nationals to avoid traveling to Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea because of the outbreak of the Marburg virus there. (end) mrg.ibi