Travelers have been warned about the spread of three diseases, including the Marburg virus. It is a close cousin of Ebola and is also called the ‘bleeding eye’ virus because of one of its symptoms.
Marburg, Mpox and Oropouch (commonly called “sloth fever”) are spreading in multiple countries, according to the UK Department of Health site Travel Health Pro.
Marburg is a rare but “severe hemorrhagic fever that can cause serious illness and death,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says, adding that there is no treatment or vaccine for it. But if caught early, supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival, according to the Africa CDC.
Early symptoms, the CDC says, include fever, chills, headache, rash with both flat and raised bumps, and sore throat. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, because it causes bleeding, it “damages blood vessels and causes bleeding” — often from the eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.
Science Photo Library / Getty
According to the CDC, there have been 66 illnesses and 15 deaths in Rwanda, but many more could be infected. The CDC also says there are no known cases outside of Rwanda and that the risk of infection with this virus in the US is low.
Marburg is spread by contact with Egyptian rousette bats or by contact with infected individuals.
There are two types of viruses that spread Mpox, the CDC says: Clade I and Clade II. Clade I is spreading in Africa, Canada, Europe – and on November 15, the CDC says a case of Mpox linked to the outbreak in Africa has been identified in California.
Getty
Since January, there have been more than 21,000 confirmed cases of both types of Mpox, the CDC says. It is transmitted through close contact with infected persons or through contact with contaminated objects.
Oropouch, the CDC says, is spread by “biting mosquitoes and some mosquitoes.” While most people recover within a month, the CDC says 1 in 20 will develop more severe illness.
Symptoms include “sensitivity to light, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting and rash,” the CDC says, while more serious illnesses include meningitis, encephalitis and bleeding.
Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
