In this Oct. 8, 2014 photo, a medical worker from the Infection Prevention and Control unit wearing full protective equipment carries a meal to an isolation tent housing a man being quarantined after coming into contact in Uganda with a carrier of the Marburg Virus, at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
Rwanda has reported the deaths of eight individuals due to the Marburg virus, a highly contagious disease resembling Ebola. This comes shortly after the country announced an outbreak of this severe hemorrhagic fever, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment. The virus, which is linked to fruit bats, spreads among humans through close contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces like bed linens.
The outbreak was officially declared on Friday, with the first six fatalities reported the following day. As of Sunday, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana confirmed 26 cases, with eight individuals succumbing to the illness. The government is urging the public to refrain from physical contact to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Approximately 300 individuals who have had contact with confirmed cases are being monitored, with some placed in isolation.
Healthcare workers have been particularly affected, with cases reported across six of the country's 30 districts. Minister Nsanzimana emphasized the rarity of the Marburg virus and stated that efforts are being intensified for contact tracing and testing to contain the outbreak. The source of the infection has yet to be identified, and symptoms can take anywhere from three days to three weeks to appear.
Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can lead to severe blood loss and death in extreme cases. In response to the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) is increasing its support and collaborating with Rwandan authorities to curb the virus's transmission. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared this commitment via social media.
In light of the outbreak, the U.S. Embassy in Kigali has advised its staff to work from home and limit office visits. Historical data from the WHO indicate that Marburg outbreaks have occurred in several African countries, including Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and Uganda, among others. The virus was first recognized in 1967 after outbreaks occurred in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia, resulting in seven deaths.
Separately, Rwanda has also reported six cases of mpox, a related viral disease previously known as monkeypox, which typically causes milder symptoms. An mpox vaccination campaign was initiated earlier this month, and additional vaccines are expected to arrive soon. The neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported the highest number of mpox cases during this global health emergency.
