The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a travel advisory for its citizens, instructing them to avoid traveling to two African countries grappled with an outbreak of the highly infectious Marburg virus.
Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania have reported at least nine deaths from the deadly virus, which is identical to Ebola, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) took to Twitter, advising its citizens against traveling to these virus-hit countries. The ministry warned the public to postpone their trips to Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania for the sake of their well-being.
نظراً لإعلان السلطات الصحية في جمهورية تنزانيا الإتحادية وجمهورية غينيا الاستوائية عن رصد تفشيات لمرض فيروس "ماربورغ" وانطلاقاً من حرص الوزارة على سلامة مواطني الدولة، تنصح الوزارة بتأجيل السفر في الوقت الحالي إلى جمهورية تنزانيا الإتحادية وجمهورية غينيا الاستوائية.
تهيب الوزارة…— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) April 1, 2023
It also advised citizens currently living in or visiting these countries to take the required precautions and follow the safety protocols issued by the relevant authorities. In case of an emergency, MoFAIC urged citizens to reach out via the number 0097180024.
The Marburg virus is a highly infectious disease with no cure or vaccine. It is spread through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe bleeding, fever, and organ failure. The virus is named after the city of Marburg, where the first outbreak occurred in 1967.
The WHO has issued a warning about the current outbreak in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania and has instructed the two nations to step up their response.
