In recent days, 27 cases of Marburg disease have been reported in the Republic of Rwanda, and nine patients have now died according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is the first Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda. Most of the infected individuals are healthcare workers who came into contact with the initial patients. The World Health Organization has sent a group of experts to assess the situation and provide aid to local healthcare providers. The CDC is also providing assistance. Contact tracing is underway, and those who are contacts of the confirmed patients are also being monitored or are already in isolation.
WHO noted that Rwanda has a strong public health system, and a representative added that they expect the situation to be under control quickly. Although the virus has been detected in individuals from seven of 30 districts in Rwanda, the international risk is considered to be low. However, the regional risk is considered to be high and the national risk is very high, according to WHO.
Marburg disease is a serious bur rare condition caused by an orthomarburgvirus, like Marburg virus or Ravn virus. Infections have an incubation period ranging from two to about twenty days. It a hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, it can cause a fever, headache and rash in initial stages. It can then progress to abdominal pain and internal bleeding, which can cause shock and death. The fatality rate of the virus is about 50 percent, though it has ranged from about 24 to 100 percent in various outbreaks over the past few decades.
Hemorrhagic symptoms can arise in patients as soon as five and seven days after the initial onset of symptoms, and death may occur as quickly as eight or nine days after symptom onset. Patient survival can depend on how individual cases are managed with supportive care such as rehydration, but there is no specific treatment for the disease. Some potential treatments are now in development, however.
The natural hosts of orthomarburgviruses are the Egyptian rousette bat, and the virus can jump from bats to people. Marburg outbreaks have usually occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Marburg can easily spread from person to person; a person only has to handle infected bedding to become ill. It is considered to be a highly virulent disease, and can also spread through contact with any infected bodily fluids such as blood or saliva.
Rght now, officials and healthcare providers are working to contain this outbreak.