Rwanda has reported its first confirmed cases of Marburg disease, a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever, according to the country’s health ministry on Friday. The ministry is currently investigating the source of the infection, and those affected have been isolated for treatment. Though the ministry did not disclose the exact number of cases, it indicated that the number remains small.
Marburg disease, which shares the same virus family as Ebola, has a fatality rate of up to 88%. It is transmitted to humans through fruit bats and spreads among people via direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals.
Symptoms of the virus include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and stomach aches, the health ministry stated.
Rwanda’s confirmation follows recent outbreaks in neighboring countries, with Tanzania reporting cases in 2023 and Uganda in 2017. The health ministry is working to contain the situation while urging citizens to remain vigilant.
Melissa Enoch
