Health authorities in the United States are getting ready to check travelers arriving from Rwanda for signs of the Marburg virus, a serious illness related to Ebola.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on Monday that “beginning in mid-October, airline passengers who have been in Rwanda in the last 21 days will have their travel to the United States rerouted” to one of three airports: Chicago O’Hare, JFK in New York, and Washington Dulles in suburban Virginia.
The statement states that travelers arriving at any of those airports must schedule a meeting with CDC personnel to have their temperatures taken and to discuss any obvious symptoms they may be experiencing, such as sore throats, vomiting, or rashes that frequently occur on the body.
The CDC states that symptoms might appear two to 21 days after exposure in those who have contracted the virus.
The first showings are scheduled for the week of October 14.
Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus causes hemorrhagic fevers and internal bleeding. It spreads by coming into touch with body fluids like blood or semen, just like Ebola. There is no therapy or vaccination.
There are no known Marburg cases in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that as of Sunday, 49 cases had been recorded by Rwandan health officials.
Twelve, or about a fourth, have passed away. The World Health Organization reports that the fatality rate may reach 88%.
Healthcare professionals have been involved in nineteen cases. US physicians were first informed about Marburg by the CDC last year. The public is not at great risk, it stated.
A level 3 travel health advisory, which cautions against needless travel to Rwanda, was also released by the CDC on Monday.
Anyone who must go to the epidemic region is advised to keep an eye out for symptoms for a period of 21 days.
The advice was to “isolate immediately and seek medical attention if you develop fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, rash, chest pain, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.”
