After mpox outbreak, Africa is under the threat of yet another virus outbreak, this is the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda. So far, six people have died from the outbreak, confirmed the health minister. Most victims were the healthcare workers in the hospital's intensive care unit. As per reports, 20 cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday.

What Is Marbug Virus?

With the fatality rate of 8% it is the same virus family as Ebola. The main carrier is from fruit bats which spreads to humans then through the contact of bodily fluids of infected individuals, it spreads to others.

Common Signs And Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of the Marburg virus include fever, pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and in the case of extreme blood loss, death too can happen.

So far, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus. However, treatments like drugs and immune therapy are being developed as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Call Of Action

Rwanda says that it has intensified its contact tracing, surveillance and testing to contain the spread. It has also tracked about 300 people who had come into contact with individuals affected by the Marburg virus.

The health minister has urged people to stay vigilant and avoid any physical contact and to wash their hands with clean water, soap or sanitiser and report any suspected case.

As of now, most of the cases have spread to the capital in Kigali. In light of this, the US Embassy in the city has advised its employees to work remotely for the next week.

This is the first time Rwanda has confirmed for Marburg cases, before this, in 2023, Tanzania confirmed the outbreak, whereas three people had died of this in Uganda in 2017.

History Of Marburg

As per WHO, this virus kills half of the people it infects. In the previous outbreaks, it has killed between 24% to 88% of the patients.

The virus was first detected in 1976 after 31 people were infected, out of which 7 died in simultaneous outbreak in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and Belgrade in Serbia.

The source was traced to African green monkeys who were imported from Uganda. However, other animals too are linked to the virus spread, including bats.

In the past, the virus outbreaks have happened in countries like Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. In 2005, this virus killed 300 people in Angola.

However, for the rest of the world, only two people have died from the virus in the rest of the world, with one of them being in Europe, and the other in the US. These both have been on expeditions to caves in Uganda.

The Bahamas joins 12 countries in the Region of the Americas, including Cuba and Brazil, certified as having eliminated the mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced.

Eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission, also called vertical transmission, to zero is a crucial milestone to achieve the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal to end AIDS by 2030.

The WHO has congratulated the country on its landmark achievement.

“I congratulate The Bahamas on this outstanding achievement, which solidifies years of political commitment and the dedication of health workers,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“By ensuring that children are born free of HIV, we are securing a healthier, brighter future for the next generation,” he added.

What Is Mother-to-child Transmission Of HIV?

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV occurs when an HIV positive mother passes the virus to her child during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding.

In the absence of intervention, such a rate of transmission of HIV ranges from 15 per cent to 45 per cent. Globally, an estimated 1.3 million women and girls living with HIV become pregnant each year.

Read: Denmark 1st European country to eradicate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis

How The Bahamas Achieved Elimination

The Bahamas achieved the milestone by pioneering a comprehensive and inclusive health-care model. This includes public health measures such as:

The provision of universal antenatal care to all pregnant women, regardless of nationality or legal status, across both public and private facilities. a strong, integrated laboratory network

a rigorous testing protocol that screens women at their first antenatal appointment and again in the third trimester.

For the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the country has introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, which is also offered to pregnant women.

To ensure continuity of care, the health system maintains adequate monitoring for HIV-positive mothers and exposed infants, provides multi-month dispensing of antiretroviral medicines, and offers STI treatment and family planning services free of charge.

“HIV is a reportable condition in the Bahamas. And identifying women who tested positive is one of our first lines of defense for preventing mother-to-child transmission,” explained Glenise Johnson, epidemiologist with The Bahamas’ Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW).

Read: Reducing Mother-To-Child HIV Transmission To Zero Key To End AIDS In India: Experts

How Countries Achieve WHO certification

To meet the elimination criteria, countries must show that very few babies are born with HIV and that almost all pregnant women receive proper care. The countries must prove they have sustained the following:

• reducing the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV to less than 2 per cent;
• achieving fewer than 5 new pediatric HIV infections per 1000 live births; and
• maintaining 95 per cent or higher coverage for antenatal care, HIV testing, and treatment for pregnant women.

"When women can test early in pregnancy, start treatment quickly, and stay in care, every child has a better chance of being born free of HIV and other STIs,” she added.

A new study published in the European Medical Journal recently found a link between seasonal changes in salt intake and chronic kidney disease risk. Furthermore, according to the study, seasonal changes in salt intake can influence blood pressure differently in men and women. However, it turns out that the effect is stronger in men during summer. For this, researchers followed 168 CKD patients for a year and analysed detailed daily urine collections to estimate salt intake, along with other clinical measurements. Researchers found that 147 patients had complete data for both winter and summer, which enabled a direct comparison of seasonal variations within the same individuals.

Seasonal patterns in blood pressure, salt intake

Consistent with previously existing knowledge, experts found that blood pressure was generally higher in winter than in summer. The study, however, found that salt intake had a similar seasonal pattern—its intake increased during winter. Male participants who had more salt in winter saw higher BMI, body weight, and blood pressure; meanwhile, cholinesterase and LDL were relatively lower. In female participants, there were fewer changes in the body as per the season—only blood pressure readings rose along with a few biochemical markers.

The most notable finding of the study came from regression analyses that examined the relationship between systolic blood pressure and salt intake. In men, there was a strong correlation where higher salt intake was linked to higher systolic BP. The association, however, was stronger during summer. Despite overall salt intake being lower in summer, the association was strong. In women, however, no such correlation was observed. In order to be certain about the potential effects of medication, researchers conducted another analysis of 90 people who were not taking drugs that may affect sodium excretion. The results were consistent, reinforcing the relevance of the findings.

Can this influence CKD management techniques?

Researchers suggested that gender-specific differences could influence diet and hypertension management strategies in kidney disease patients. The heightened sensitivity of systolic BP to salt intake in men during summer is an area of concern—while further research is required on the subject, it can still go a long way in the better management and treatment of chronic kidney disease.

How much salt can a CKD patient have safely?

According to experts, one must consume around 2,300 mg to maintain healthy blood pressure. However, for patients with CKD or high BP, 1,500 mg is more appropriate. Eating more salt than this in your daily diet can lead to water retention and blood pressure fluctuations. Over time, these can worsen heart health in the long run. Salt is 40 per cent sodium, and this component is found in high amounts in condiments like ketchup. It silently raises blood pressure and may even damage the kidneys.

Long working hours, job insecurity, and workplace harassment claim more than 840,000 lives each year, according to a new global report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The report noted that the work-related psychosocial risks—including long working hours, job insecurity, high demands with low control, and workplace bullying and harassment—are surging heart diseases and mental disorders, including suicide.

In addition to deaths, these risks account for nearly 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost annually, reflecting years of healthy life lost due to illness, disability, or premature death, and are estimated to result in economic losses equivalent to 1.37 per cent of global GDP each year.

“Psychosocial risks are becoming one of the most significant challenges for occupational safety and health in the modern world of work,” said Manal Azzi, Team Lead on OSH Policy and Systems at the ILO.

“Improving the psychosocial working environment is essential not only for protecting workers’ mental and physical health, but also for strengthening productivity, organizational performance, and sustainable economic development,” Azzi added.

The report highlights the growing impact of how work is designed, organized, and managed on workers’ safety and health.

How Psychosocial Risks Can Be Prevented in Workplaces?

Read: Not Diabetes or Obesity: Expert Says Chronic Stress Is The New Lifestyle Disease

There is a broad body of evidence showing that psychosocial risks are linked to a wide range of mental and physical health conditions among workers, including depression and anxiety, as well as metabolic diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and sleep disturbances.

The report identified five major psychosocial risk factors at work:

• job strain (high demands combined with low control),
• effort–reward imbalance,
• job insecurity,
• long working hours,
• workplace bullying and harassment.

The report emphasized the need for organizational approaches that address their root causes. It also highlighted the importance of integrating psychosocial risk management into occupational safety and health systems, supported by social dialogue between governments, employers, and workers.

Also read: Why Women Feel More Fatigued In Extreme Heat: Doctors Explain

Further, the report introduced the psychosocial working environment as the elements of work and workplace interactions related to how jobs are designed, how work is organized and managed, and the broader policies, practices, and procedures that govern work. These elements, both individually and in combination, affect workers’ health and well-being, as well as organizational performance.

“While many psychosocial risks are not new, major transformations in the world of work, including digitalization, artificial intelligence, remote work, and new employment arrangements, are reshaping the psychosocial working environment. These changes may intensify existing risks or create new ones if not properly addressed,” the ILO noted.

It added that the changes can also “offer opportunities for improved work organization and greater flexibility, highlighting the need for proactive action”.

By addressing these risks proactively, the report said that countries and enterprises can create healthier workplaces that benefit both workers and organizations while strengthening productivity and economic resilience.