Rwanda has confirmed its first cases of Marburg disease, a severe viral hemorrhagic fever with a high mortality rate, according to a statement from the country’s health ministry on Friday.
The ministry is currently investigating the source of the infection and has isolated the affected individuals for treatment. Although specific numbers were not disclosed, officials indicated that there are only a few confirmed cases.
Marburg disease, which shares a virus family with Ebola, has a fatality rate that can reach up to 88%. It is transmitted to humans through contact with fruit bats and spreads further through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
Symptoms of the disease include high fever, severe headaches, vomiting, muscle aches, and abdominal pain.
Rwanda’s announcement comes after neighboring Tanzania reported Marburg cases in 2023 and Uganda experienced similar outbreaks in 2017, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by this dangerous virus in the region.
