Amid reports of a deadly viral outbreak in Central Africa, researchers are reportedly scrambling to develop treatments and vaccines to combat the Marburg virus.

As of Sept. 30, 2024, the country of Rwanda — which is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — has reported 27 cases of the virus and nine subsequent deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Most of the cases have affected health care workers at two health facilities in the city of Kigali, the same source stated.

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The patients are being cared for in hospitals, as noted by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sept. 29. 

“Contact tracing is underway, with 300 contacts under follow-up,” WHO stated.

This is the first time the Marburg virus has been reported in Rwanda.

What is the Marburg virus? 

Similar to Ebola, Marburg is a “rare but severe hemorrhagic fever” that can cause “serious illness and death,” with a 20% to 90% fatality rate.

There have not been any confirmed cases in the United States, and the CDC says the risk of infection in the country is low.

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“It is highly fatal in humans and there is no treatment — and unlike Ebola, there is no vaccine,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.

“It is very similar to Ebola in that it causes hemorrhagic fever,” he added.

Marburg is “difficult to catch,” Siegel noted, as it requires close contact with bodily secretions.

This colorized scanning electron micrograph captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland, shows Marburg virus particles. (Getty Images)

The virus is spread by the Egyptian fruit bat (Egyptian rousette bat), which is found in both Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, per the CDC. 

An infected human can transmit the disease to other humans through exchange of bodily fluids and contaminated objects.

Marburg is a “rare but severe” hemorrhagic fever with a 20% to 90% fatality rate.

Marburg isn’t new — it was first discovered in 1967, when outbreaks happened in labs in Marburg and Frankfurt (both in Germany) and in Serbia (formerly Belgrade, Yugoslavia).

In 2023, there were outbreaks of the virus in Tanzania (resulting in five deaths) and Equatorial Guineau (12 deaths).

Symptoms, treatment and prevention

Initial signs and symptoms of the virus include fever, chills, a rash with flat and raised bumps, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.

Advanced stages of the disease can be marked by delirium, liver failure, shock, hemorrhagic bleeding and organ failure.

Most of the cases have affected health care workers at two health facilities in the city of Kigali, the CDC stated. (iStock)

Symptoms typically emerge within two to 21 days of infection.

“In fatal cases, death occurs most often between eight and nine days after symptom onset, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock,” WHO stated in its health alert. 

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There are currently no treatments for Marburg other than “supportive care,” the CDC noted.

Patients should be under the care of a doctor who can monitor oxygen status and blood pressure, provide intravenous fluids, and treat any secondary infections, the agency stated. 

Rest and hydration are also key to recovery.

To prevent outbreaks, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with blood and bodily fluids of sick people and those who have recovered from the virus until tests confirm the complete absence of the virus.

The Marburg virus, first recognized in 1967, causes a severe type of hemorrhagic fever that affects humans and non-human primates. (BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

People should also refrain from touching items that may have been contaminated with an infected person’s bodily fluids, the CDC cautioned.

No vaccine is currently available for Marburg, although “some candidate vaccines are currently under development,” according to WHO.

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“There are promising vaccines and therapeutic candidates for MVD, but these must be proven in clinical trials,” the organization added.

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“WHO assesses the risk of this outbreak as very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the outbreak and this risk assessment will be updated as more information is received.”

An impromptu visit from Captain Jack Sparrow was a surprise treasure for some young cancer patients.

Actor Johnny Depp, who was in Spain for the San Sebastian Film Festival, dressed as the famous character from the popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series and dropped into the Osakidetza Donostia University Hospital.

Depp visited the pediatric and oncology wards, where he interacted with the delighted children and their families.

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A spokesperson from the hospital described the actor’s visit as “exciting, endearing and unforgettable.”

“Both the children admitted to the hospital and their families and professionals who were working at that time welcomed him with great enthusiasm and affection,” the spokesperson said. 

“In a situation of illness, anyone, but especially children, greatly appreciates a distraction of this magnitude. It was a breath of fresh air, a magical moment in which they forgot about their illness and were transported to the magical world of pirates.”

A spokesperson from the hospital described the actor’s visit as “exciting, endearing and unforgettable.” (Osakidetza Donostia University Hospital /TMX)

The entire hospital team, the admitted children and their families are all “enormously grateful” for Depp’s visit, the spokesperson said. 

“It has been a pleasure and an honor to have Jack Sparrow with us, a great pirate.”

‘Meaningful impact’

Harpreet Pall, MD, chair of pediatrics at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, confirmed that a celebrity role model visiting a children’s hospital can have a “meaningful impact” on the patients’ emotional health.

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“Some of the psychological benefits include improved self-esteem and confidence, distraction from illness, improved optimism and a morale boost,” Pall told Fox News Digital. 

Actor Johnny Depp arrives for the world premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” in Shanghai on May 11, 2017. (Getty Images)

“A celebrity visit can create excitement and decrease some of the stress of being in the hospital.”

The visit can also increase children’s engagement with their health care team, the doctor said, leading to better adherence to the treatment plan. 

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Pall added, “In addition, having a positive outlook and social interaction promotes healing for hospitalized children.”

Gardening could help aging adults stay sharp later in life, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that tending to gardens at an older age is associated with “small but detectable cognitive benefits.”

The long-term study tracked participants who shared details of their lifestyles and completed “frequent assessments” of their thinking skills up to age 90.

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The “Lothian Birth Cohort 1921” study followed people who were born in the Edinburgh area, starting at age 11. The participants regularly took an intelligence test known as the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932. 

Hundreds of participants sat for the same exam at age 79.

Out of 467 participants, 31% had never gardened, while 43% gardened regularly.

The results revealed that the 280 who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “greater lifetime improvement in cognitive ability compared with those who never gardened or rarely did so.”

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Between the ages of 79 and 90, the participants’ cognitive ability — including memory, problem-solving and word fluency — declined in general, but the researchers found that the “earlier advantage of gardeners endured.”

The results revealed that the 280 who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “greater lifetime improvement in cognitive ability compared with those who never gardened or rarely did so.” (iStock)

Study co-author Dr. Janie Corley wrote in a press release how identifying behaviors that “facilitate healthy cognitive aging are of major public interest for the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia.”

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“Gardening is a key leisure activity in late adulthood,” she said. “Engaging in gardening projects, learning about plants and general garden upkeep involve complex cognitive processes, such as memory and executive function.” 

She continued, “Consistent with the ‘use it or lose it’ framework of cognitive function, more engagement in gardening may be directly associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.”

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Dr. Azza Halim, MD, an anti-aging specialist, noted that gardening has been studied as an anti-aging activity for seniors, providing physical, mental and emotional benefits, including for longevity and cognition.

“It is important to engage in physical and social activities to maintain youthfulness,” an expert said. (iStock)

Gardening also counts as “low-impact exercise” that is beneficial for cardiac health and circulation, the physician added.

“It provides mental stimulation to reduce cognitive decline, as well as fostering mental and emotional well-being, relaxation and decreased anxiety,” she said. 

“At any age, it is important to engage in physical and social activities to maintain youthfulness — and more so in later years to stave off high blood pressure, depression, weight gain and cognitive decline.”