Rwanda confirms its first Marburg virus outbreak
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Key takeaways:
- Rwanda has reported 26 cases of Marburg virus and six deaths.
- The CDC said there are no cases in the U.S. related to the outbreak and the threat to the U.S. population is low.
Rwanda’s Ministry of Health confirmed 26 cases and six deaths in a growing outbreak of Marburg virus, a severe viral hemorrhagic virus spread by bats in some African countries.
“People can continue with their daily activities,” Rwandan Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana, MD, PhD, said during a press briefing. “There is no ban on any activity as part of the Marburg prevention measures. People should not panic as we have identified all the hotspots of the disease and are taking the appropriate action.”
He added that although people should not change their normal lives, if they experience symptoms of infection, they should not delay seeking medical treatment.
The CDC acknowledged the outbreak in a statement on Monday, noting that no cases related to the outbreak have been reported in the United States, and that the risk to the general population in the country is low.
Marburg virus is in the same family as Ebola virus. Symptoms can develop quickly and include fever, headache, rash, malaise and severe bleeding, according to health officials.
The virus, which has a fatality rate of up to 88%, according to WHO, is spread to humans from bats and can be transmitted from human to human via bodily fluids, surfaces and materials. This is the first Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, although the relatively rare disease has been seen in other countries in Africa.
Marburg cases have been reported in seven of Rwanda’s 30 districts. Of the 26 reported cases, 20 remain in isolation, according to Rwanda’s health ministry, and 161 who came into contact with the reported patients are also being monitored for symptoms.
There are no approved treatments or vaccines for the virus, according to the CDC, although there are several experimental vaccines in development.
An experimental NIH-developed vaccine showed promise in a first-in-human phase 1 trial in 2023 amid two other Marburg outbreaks in Africa at the time, and the University of Oxford announced in September that it had initiated a first-in-human trial of its own experimental vaccine against the virus.
WHO said in a statement that it has mobilized resources — including medical supplies and experts — to help manage the outbreak in Rwanda, and they are preparing should the outbreak spread beyond the country’s borders.
The CDC also said it has offered additional support, including staff and training through the agency’s Rwanda office.
“We’re rapidly setting all the critical outbreak response aspects in motion to support Rwanda to halt the spread of this virus swiftly and effectively,” Matshidiso MoetiMB, BS, MSc, WHO regional director for Africa, said in the statement. “With the country’s already robust public health emergency response system, WHO is collaborating closely with the national authorities to provide the needed support to further enhance the ongoing efforts.”
References:
- CDC. Marburg virus disease: About Marburg disease. https://www.cdc.gov/marburg/about/index.html. Published May 1, 2024. Accessed Sept. 30, 2024.
- CDC statement on Marburg cases in Rwanda. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0929-marburg-cases-rwanda.html. Published Sept. 30, 2024. Accessed Sept. 30, 2024.
- Rwanda reports first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak, with 26 cases confirmed. https://www.afro.who.int/countries/rwanda/news/rwanda-reports-first-ever-marburg-virus-disease-outbreak-26-cases-confirmed. Published Sept. 28, 2024. Accessed Sept. 30, 2024.
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