Virus alarm in Hamburg: suspected Marburg after returning from Rwanda!

Virus alarm in Hamburg: suspected Marburg after returning from Rwanda!

The alarm bells have been ringed in Hamburg after two vacationers from Rwanda are suspected of being infected with the dangerous Marburg virus. The returned medical student and his companion were isolated on Wednesday evening at the main train station and immediately medically examined.

The Marburg virus, a well-known and feared pathogen, could be a potential threat. The responsible medical student, 27 years old, had worked in a hospital in Rwanda, where patients were also treated with this viral infection. After her return trip via Ethiopia, the student alerted the doctors in Hamburg and expressed concerns that they may be ill with a tropical illness.

medical measures and current situation

comprehensive security precautions were taken immediately. The federal police blocked the railway tracks at Hamburg Central Station, while the fire brigade was on site with an ambulance for the transport of suspected infection cases. Both people were then taken to the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), which is equipped for highly contagious diseases.

. So far, it has not been possible to determine whether he has a fever. The specialist group for disease protection now coordinates the diagnosis, which can usually be carried out within 24 hours. The results of the tests are expected by Thursday.

risks of the Marburg virus

The Marburg virus shows serious symptoms of illness and belongs to the group of Filoviridae, including the Ebola virus. Cases of hemorrhagic fever can occur, which leads to high mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports of a death rate between 24 and 88 percent during previous outbreaks. Infection options consist of direct contact with body fluids of infected, but not through air transmission.

The virus carrier is often the Nile flight dog, the habitat of which extends over large parts of Africa to the Middle East and parts of Türkiye. It remains to be seen what further knowledge the tests of the suspicious cases will deliver in Hamburg and whether other people may have been infected during the return trip, which could further complicate the situation. The contact details of the passengers in the ICE between Frankfurt and Hamburg were taken as caution.

Now the situation is being followed with the greatest attention. The population is concerned about possible actual infections, since there has been no documented case of a Marburg virus in Germany for almost 60 years. The last information dates from 1967 when several laboratory workers were infected in the city of Marburg.

For further information regarding the current developments and the state of health of those affected, see the current reporting on www.fr.de .