Travellers advised to avoid caves in countries known to harbour Marburg virus

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OTTAWA - The Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending that travellers avoid entering caves where bats may be present in countries known to harbour the Marburg hemorrhagic virus.

A Dutch tourist died of Marburg hemorrhagic fever last month after her return to the Netherlands from Uganda where she had visited caves. Countries known to harbour the virus include Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a highly infectious and rapidly fatal disease. In its most extreme form, victims bleed from multiple places on their body. The virus is spread by contact with blood, organs or other body fluids of infected people or animals, such as monkeys and bats. There is no commercially available vaccine or medication that can prevent infection, the agency says.