An outbreak of the incurable Marburg virus has claimed the lives of 11 individuals in Rwanda, as health authorities grapple with containing the spread of the deadly disease. The outbreak, which mirrors symptoms akin to Ebola, has resulted in 36 confirmed cases, with 25 patients currently in isolation, according to the latest update from the Rwandan government. The outbreak was officially declared on September 27, with the first cases detected among patients in healthcare facilities.
Efforts are underway to identify the source of the infection as authorities work to prevent further contagion in the East African nation. With Marburg showing similarities to Ebola, strict isolation measures have been put in place for infected patients and their contacts. Over 300 individuals who have come into contact with confirmed cases are being closely monitored, with a portion currently quarantined in isolation facilities. Rwandans are advised to avoid physical contact to help curb the spread of the virus.
Most of the affected individuals are healthcare workers across six districts in Rwanda out of a total of 30. The US embassy in Kigali has instructed its staff to work remotely and avoid office visits as a precautionary measure. Marburg, like Ebola, is believed to originate from fruit bats and is transmitted through close contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Without treatment, Marburg can be fatal in up to 88% of cases, with symptoms including fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea, vomiting, and potentially severe blood loss leading to death.
Historically, Marburg outbreaks and isolated cases have occurred in various African countries including Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana. The virus was first identified in 1967 during simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia, where seven individuals died due to exposure while conducting research on monkeys.
As the situation develops, health authorities continue to work towards containing the outbreak and preventing further loss of life due to the Marburg virus.