Passengers suspected of carrying the deadly ‘eye-bleeding’ Marburg virus are forcing the closure of a major German station
Two passengers suspected of carrying the deadly Marburg virus have forced the closure of a major German station amid fears the highly contagious Ebola-like disease has reached Europe.
Police cordoned off tracks seven and eight at Hamburg station for several hours and travelers were cleared from the platforms after emergency services boarded the ICE from Frankfurt in full protective suits.
Local reports say two passengers on board are apparently infected with the deadly eye-bleeding virus.
One of the passengers is a 26-year-old German medical student, who boarded the ICE train to Hamburg with his girlfriend in Frankfurt on Wednesday afternoon.
During the train ride, both developed flu-like symptoms.
According to Bild, the student had previously arrived by plane directly from Rwanda, where he had contact with a patient who doctors later found to be infected with the Marburg virus.
Police cordoned off tracks seven and eight at Hamburg station for several hours and passengers were cleared from the platforms after emergency services boarded the ICE from Frankfurt in full protective suits
The Marburg virus, a relative of Ebola, causes people to bleed from their body orifices and kills up to 9 in 10 of those infected.
MVD has a mortality rate of up to 88 percent. There are currently no vaccines or treatments approved to treat the virus
Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Marburg virus particles
The British government has warned that an untreatable Ebola-like virus – which kills nine in 10 people it infects – is currently spreading in Africa.
Marburg, one of the deadliest pathogens ever discovered, has already killed 10 people in Rwanda, while around 300 people are being monitored for suspected infection.
In a statement, British health chiefs demanded companies put extra surveillance on workers visiting the African country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously described the situation as “major concern”, adding that there is a high risk of the outbreak spreading to other African countries.
Last year, an outbreak of the virus, which causes patients to bleed from the eyes, occurred in nearby Tanzania.
Disease caused by Marburg virus begins very suddenly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise.
Muscle aches and pains are also common symptoms of the virus. Severe diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting can usually occur on the third day. Diarrhea can last for a week.
There are currently no vaccines or treatments available, meaning doctors are instead focusing on helping patients survive the infection.
This often puts healthcare workers at immediate risk because the virus is transmitted through infected bodily fluids.