PHILOVIRUSES
Filoviruses are a family that also includes Ebola and Marburg.
Ebola, named after a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo – where the viral hemorrhagic fever was discovered, kills up to half of everyone who becomes infected.
The virus is mainly transmitted through exposure to body fluids, with fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhea being the main symptoms.
It occurs naturally in fruit bats, monkeys and porcupines that live in the rainforest, and can also be transmitted by eating uncooked bushmeat.
Ebola’s cousin, Marburg, has a mortality rate of up to 90 percent, making it one of the deadliest pathogens known to man.
It spreads in a similar way and can cause the same symptoms.
SARS CORONAVIRUS 1
SARS is Covid’s cousin and causes similar flu-like symptoms.
The disease infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 during an outbreak in Asia in 2003.
However, SARS is more deadly than Covid.
Data shows Covid kills around one in ten people, compared to less than one in a hundred.
The airborne virus can spread through tiny droplets of saliva, in a similar way to colds and flu.
NIPAH VIRUS
Nipah is a type of henipavirus that occurs naturally in fruit bats.
The virus is usually transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, usually pigs and bats.
But human-to-human transmission can occur.
Outbreaks occur almost annually in parts of Asia, especially in Bangladesh and India, the US CDC says.
Symptoms, such as fever, headache and drowsiness, can occur between five and 14 days after infection and can last up to two weeks.
Ultimately, patients may fall into a coma or develop breathing problems.
The virus is believed to be fatal in 75 percent of cases.
There is no vaccine or cure, but patients can receive supportive treatment to relieve symptoms.
MACHUPO VIRUS
The Machupo virus causes a disease called Bolivian hemorrhagic fever.
The virus is transmitted by rats found in eastern Bolivia, northern Paraguay and western Brazil.
Data can also be transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes.
The symptoms are similar to those of Ebola. Death can occur within hours, experts say.