The World Health Organisation has warned the risk of a fatal, incurable disease spreading is 'high' after 26 cases and eight deaths. Health chiefs are trying to trace 300 people who may have come into contact with those who contracted Marburg Virus Disease. The Rwanda Ministry of Health has confirmed the country's first outbreak of the disease after finding cases in seven of 30 districts.
Among the confirmed cases, over 70% are healthcare workers from two health facilities in Kigali. The patients are being cared for in . The Government of Rwanda is coordinating the response with support from WHO and partners.
There is currently no available treatment or vaccine for MVD. A WHO spokesman said: "This is why it is important for people showing Marburg-like symptoms to seek care early for supportive treatment which can improve patient survival. WHO assesses the risk of this outbreak as very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level.
" One contact travelled internationally. They remained healthy, completed the monitoring period and did not present with any symptoms. The source of the infection is still under investigation.
MVD is a highly virulent disease that can cause haemorrhagic fever and is clinically similar to Ebola diseases. Marburg and Ebola viruses are both members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus). People are initially infected with Marburg virus when they come into close contact with Rousettus bats, a type of fruit bat, that c.
