Marburg Outbreak: Rwanda is currently facing its first-ever outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, with 36 reported cases and 11 deaths, according to the Rwandan Ministry of Health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the risk posed by the outbreak is 'very high' within Rwanda, and 'high' across the African region, but 'low' globally. Marburg virus, a close relative of the Ebola virus, causes viral hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate averaging 50%.
In some outbreaks, the mortality rate has reached as high as 88%. According to the WHO, early clinical care, including rehydration, can improve the survival chances of those infected. Symptoms of Marburg virus disease include severe headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and stomach aches.
The virus is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with fruit bats, but once in the human population, it can spread through contact with bodily fluids. History Of Marburg Virus Disease The Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 when simultaneous outbreaks occurred in the German cities of Marburg and Frankfurt, and in Belgrade, Serbia. These outbreaks were traced back to African green monkeys imported from Uganda, which were being used for laboratory research , according to the WHO.
Of the 31 individuals infected, seven died. The virus, part of the Filoviridae family, shares many similarities with Ebola, both in its structure and its capacity to cause severe outbreaks with high mortality rates. Over the decades, the Marb.
