Russia Battles Mysterious Blood-Coughing Virus - Know Cause, Cure

What is the blood-coughing virus? Like a whirlwind across Russia, reports of a Covid-like mystery virus are making waves, with claims from infected individuals describing severe respiratory symptoms, including coughing up blood. 

Also read: What Russia Said on Covid-Like Mystery Virus Causing Victims to Cough Up Blood

Cause of the Blood-Coughing Virus

The buzz around this mystery virus began with a social media post, highlighting cases diagnosed as acute “upper respiratory tract infections of unspecified origin”. Other cases have been linked to “Mycoplasma pneumoniae”, a bacterial infection known to cause flu-like symptoms.  

Symptoms of the Blood-Coughing Virus

Patients reporting symptoms associated with this illness have described high fevers, body aches before rapidly worsening to coughing of blood.

How to Treat the Blood-Coughing Virus

As reports emerge, it appears that antibiotics are not proving effective in treating this mysterious illness, complicating efforts to manage the outbreak. With cases continuing to rise and no clear cure in sight, questions remain about the virus's connection to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.  

If linked to this bacterial infection, it's worth noting that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published that individuals with Mycoplasma pneumoniae can often recover without medication.

And for those requiring medical intervention, the National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends treatment with antibiotics such as macrolides, doxycycline, or fluoroquinolones. Azithromycin is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, typically administered for five days (500 mg on the first day, followed by 250 mg daily for the next four days).

However, the current lack of response to antibiotics suggests there may be other factors at play, requiring further investigation.

Official Response from Russian Health Authorities

Despite widespread online reports, Russian health authorities have dismissed claims of a new or unidentified virus circulating in the country. They assert that there is "no evidence" to support such allegations, attributing the cases to common respiratory infections rather than an emerging threat.