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Updated March 10th, 2023 at 23:53 IST

Russia claims US biologists may be behind Ebola virus spread in Central Africa in 2022

Lt Gen Igor Kirillov said the health ministry of one of the countries in Central Africa is studying the possibility of spread of the Ebola virus in Sept 2022.

Reported by: Amrit Burman
US
Image: Unsplash | Image:self
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One of the Central African states, who is is investigating the possibility of the artificial spread of the Ebola virus in September 2022, stated that one of the versions indicates "careless handling of pathogens by US military biologists who carried out work in this region." 

"The health ministry of one of the states of Central Africa is studying the possibility of the artificial spread of the Ebola virus in September 2022 by the US military biologists. The concern is caused by the fact that the isolated strain of Sudan is completely identical to the virus that circulated in Africa during the 2012 epidemic," said Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, who is also the head of the radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces. The officials further stated that one of the versions indicates "careless handling of pathogens by US military biologists who carried out work in this region."

Emergence of Ebola in Humans

Ebola virus disease (EVD), which is known as one of the deadliest viral diseases, was first reported back in 1976 after two consecutive outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever occurred in different parts of Central Africa. Notably, the first outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) in a village near the Ebola River, which is why it was named Ebola virus, and the second outbreak occurred in what is now South Sudan, approximately 500 miles (850 km) away.

Initially, it was believed by the health officials that this was a single event that had some connection with an infected person who traveled between the two locations, but later it was found that both outbreaks were caused by two genetically different viruses: the Zaire ebolavirus and the Sudan ebolavirus. However, after a lot of research, it was established that this discovery led scientists to conclude that the virus came from two different sources and spread independently to people in each of the affected areas.

Image: AP

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Published March 10th, 2023 at 23:53 IST

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