Alarm over mysterious 'nosebleed' disease that can kill in over 24 hours, should we be worried?

An unknown virus that killed three people in 24 hours has forced a town in Burundi, West Africa into quarantine as worried officials rally to stop it spreading. The unidentified virus is remarkable for how quickly it kills people as well as causing a range of symptomsincluding nosebleeds, fever, headaches, dizziness and vomiting.

Mysterious nosebleed virus

The mysterious virus has so far killed three people as officials quarantine the area of Baziro, where two of the infected people were treated.

A terrified nurse from the Migwa health centre said, as per The Express:

It’s a disease that kills quickly. It’s terrible, we are all waiting for death.

The symptoms of the illness describe some kind of viral haemorrhagic fever, which damages the walls of tiny blood vessels making them leak. The same type of symptoms are seen in viruses like Marburg and Ebola. However, the news site claims that the Ministry of Health in Burundi has already ruled out both illnesses.

Current thought is that it appears to be a contagious haemorrhagic bug of some kind and health officials are understandably approaching it with caution.

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Marburg outbreak

The reports come just weeks after neighbouring Tanzania announced a Marburg outbreak, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a ‘very high’ risk to surrounding countries, as per The Mirror

All cases were discovered in the northwest of Tanzania, which has a border with Burundi. It is believed that five people died of eight that were infected and showed symptoms.

The WHO reported that new cases were found across three different provinces spreading over a range of nearly 100 miles, ‘suggesting wider transmission of the virus’,

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Tuesday the disease reported in Lindi may have been caused by interaction between humans and wild animals.

The WHO also described a possible link between bats and humans, as per WHO:

Marburg virus infection often results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies.

Based on the current risk assessment, the WHO advises against any travel to the United Republic of Tanzania.

Sources used:

- The Mirror 'Three die from ‘nosebleed’ disease that kills within 24 hours – as town quarantined'

- The Express 'Fears surge over mystery 'nosebleed' disease which can kill in just 24 hours - three dead'

- WHO 'Marburg virus disease - United Republic of Tanzania'