More Scare Mongering by WHO

WHO holds urgent meeting due to Marburg virus outbreak in Africa

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I hesitated to write about this today because Marburg virus is just one more ‘scary’ disease that the WHO describes as “pandemic prone,” according to that rag The Daily Mail. The WHO confirms the outbreak occurring in equatorial Guinea with nine deaths as of yesterday, February 14, 2023, which can have a fatality rate of up to 88 percent.

But is Marburg really pandemic prone?

First let’s discuss the difference between ‘epidemic’ and ‘pandemic'. From my understanding, and without looking it up, an epidemic disease affects many people at the same time, spreading between people in a particular community or region. Pandemics occur when an epidemic disease spreads over a very large region like an entire country, continent, or the world. (Please feel free to tweak or correct my definitions, fellow peekers)

3D imagery of Marburg virus (Source: Gavi.org)

According to WHO, the Marburg virus has an incubation period lasting anywhere from two to 21 days and transmission doesn’t occur during incubation period. After incubation, patients experience rapid onset of symptoms — and they sound horrible and:

“In fatal cases, death occurs most often between 8 and 9 days after symptom onset, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock.”

The WHO factsheet says that initial human infection “results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies.” ← those pesky bats again!

Thereafter, it spreads via person-to-person via direct contact. This could occur by contacting broken skin, blood, mucous membranes, organs, or other bodily fluids (like breast milk or semen, etc.) of infected persons.

I am no rocket scientist and I humbly invite others to chime in on this, but I don’t see how it can become a pandemic on the scale of COVID. Barring any visits to African mines and bat caves, since it spreads via bodily fluids and close contact — kissing, touching open wounds, sexual encounter, drinking breast milk, etc., it seems unlikely to spread rapidly like an airborne pathogen. Doesn’t this make it easier to contain to the more local affected regions? Perhaps Igor or Jessica may want to offer guidance?

However, if certain labs, funded by certain ‘benevolent’ foundations and shady government agencies, could conduct research on Marburg virus, to find a safe and effective vaccine, of course. In the course of this research, the virus may accidentally gain some functions which make it more easily transmissible — perhaps via aerosols and the like.

No specific antiviral treatment or cure available

The only treatments available are supportive therapies, such as intravenous fluids, electrolyte replacement, supplemental oxygen, and blood and blood product replacement, according to the same WHO factsheet linked above.

But, don’t worry! Bill Gates and friends are actively working on a Marburg vaccine. You know, just in case it starts to spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the globe, as did COVID.

Here’s a 2021 article from the GAVI website — you know the organization funded by the B&M Gates Foundation:

The next pandemic: Marburg?

And just in case you want to keep up with philanthropath Bill Gates, he has a blog called GatesNotes. How precious!

What do you think about the potential of Marburg virus to become a pandemic?

A blurry pic of DS (foreground), friends, and me at a recent party. I had a couple of drinks — and it wasn’t coffee!