Fatal Ebola-like 'Chapare Virus' can spread among people: Scientists

Washington, Nov 18: A deadly Ebola-like virus that causes bleeding can spread human-to-human, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Monday.

The news comes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has upturned lives around the world.

However, the virus had previously been documented in 2004. This was in the Chapare region, located east of La Paz in Bolivia. It can cause haemorrhagic fevers like Ebola.

According to The Guardian report, in 2019, two patients transmitted the virus to three healthcare workers in La Paz. One of the patients and two medical workers later died.

"Two of the healthcare workers later died. We now believe many bodily fluids can potentially carry the virus," CDC epidemiologist Caitlin Cossaboom said, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), where the findings were presented.