Urgent travel warning over 'eye-bleeding' virus found in 17 countries

UK travellers planning trips abroad have been hit with an urgent health alert over a terrifying 'eye-bleeding' disease that's spread to more than 17 countries. Health chiefs are on high alert due to the escalating cases of the Marburg virus, a relative of Ebola and one of the deadliest diseases known.

The lethal virus has reportedly claimed 15 lives in Rwanda this autumn, with hundreds more under surveillance for potential infection. Rwanda confirmed an outbreak in late September 2024.

Nations affected include Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Uganda, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, and Peru. This comes as two other serious infectious diseases - the mpox Clade I variant and tropical Oropouche fever - continue their march across several countries.

Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here

Travel Health Pro, a site run by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has issued a warning about the "triple threat" of these deadly viruses. A spokesperson for Travel Health Pro announced: "A Marburg virus disease outbreak has been reported in Rwanda."

They added: "Multi-country outbreaks of mpox clade I and Oropouche are also ongoing."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Marburg virus has a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of up to 88 percent, indicating it can be fatal for nearly 9 out of 10 individuals it infects.

The worst outbreak recorded was in Angola in 2005, with 374 cases and 329 deaths.

The Marburg virus, transmitted from fruit bats after "prolonged exposure" to mines or caves where the bats reside, can infect humans through direct contact with bodily fluids, as well as interaction with infected materials and surfaces. Symptoms typically present abruptly with high fever, severe headaches, and muscle aches, and from day five, patients may experience bleeding from their nose, gums, eyes, and vagina.

Other symptoms include watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and bleeding under the skin, with progressive signs such as a rash, jaundice, stomach swelling, extreme weight loss, liver failure, and multi-organ dysfunction. The infection generally manifests between 2 to 21 days post-exposure to the virus.