Rwanda is battling its first-ever outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, with 36 cases reported so far and 11 deaths.
The World Health Organization said this week that the risk of the epidemic is very high in Rwanda, high across the African region and low globally.
What is Marburg virus?
Marburg is a virus from the same family as Ebola. It causes a hemorrhagic fever and has an average mortality rate of 50%, according to the WHO, although rates have reached 88% in previous epidemics. Early clinical care and rehydration can improve survival, the UN health agency says.
Symptoms typically include sudden high fever and severe headache, as well as vomiting and diarrhea, followed by uncontrolled bleeding.
It was first identified in Marburg, Germany – hence the name – and Belgrade, Serbia, in 1967, after laboratory work with African green monkeys from Uganda led to human infections. Outbreaks and sporadic cases have since occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the WHO says.
How does the Marburg virus spread?
Marburg spreads to humans through prolonged exposure to mines or caves where Rousettus fruit bats live. It can also spread between humans through direct contact with the body fluids of infected people or with surfaces or materials contaminated with such fluids, such as blood.
Is there a vaccine?
There are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, but there are a number of promising candidates that could begin testing soon, Rwanda’s health minister said. These include vaccine candidates developed by nonprofit organizations including the Sabin Vaccine Institute, which said it is working with Rwandan officials on the outbreak, as well as the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
The team that developed the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the University of Oxford began testing its candidate Marburg in the UK this summer, using similar technology.
What else is going on?
Rwanda is also tracking around 300 contacts of known cases. About 70% of confirmed cases are health workers at two health facilities in the capital, Kigali, although cases have been reported in seven of the country’s 30 districts. In addition to spreading in health care facilities, the disease can also spread during funerals of people killed by the disease, which in some cultures involve close physical contact with the deceased as they are prepared for burial, said Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington. University of East Anglia.
Health authorities around the world are on high alert for any spread to neighboring countries or beyond.
Is Marburg reaching new places and why?
Yes, in 2021, Guinea reported the first case of Marburg in West Africa. In 2022, Ghana declared its first-ever outbreak, and Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea did the same in 2023. These outbreaks, generally small, have been brought under control with public health measures. Scientists said the increased frequency of outbreaks appears to be linked to human encroachment on animal habitats.
The epidemic in Rwanda is already one of the largest ever seen.
