The recent outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Rwanda marks a significant public health challenge for the nation, as it is the first recorded incidence of this deadly virus within its borders. As of early October 2024, Rwanda has reported 27 cases and 9 fatalities attributed to MVD . The disease is a severe hemorrhagic fever closely related to Ebola, characterized by a high fatality rate and transmission through contact with infected bodily fluids. The rapid emergence of this outbreak has raised alarms given the recent history of Marburg outbreaks in neighboring regions such as Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.
Ten people have died in Rwanda from the highly contagious Marburg virus, and 29 cases have been confirmed, the country's health ministry reported Tuesday, just days after the country declared an outbreak of the deadly hemorrhagic fever that has no authorized vaccine or treatment.
"Marburg is a rare disease," health minister Sabin Nsanzimana said Sunday. "We are intensifying contact tracing and testing to help stop the spread."
He said the source of the disease has not been determined yet.
Ira Longini, a biostatistician at the University of Florida in Gainesville and MARVAC member, says that if the Rwanda outbreak continues, the plan is to trial at least one vaccine in a strategy known as ring vaccination. The approach — which showed the effectiveness of an Ebola vaccine in Guinea during the 2014–16 West African outbreak — involves immunizing contacts of an infected individual. Contact tracing is underway, with about 300 contacts under follow-up as of 29 September 2024. One contact travelled to Belgium from Rwanda. WHO was made aware of this by the public health authorities in Belgium. They shared detailed information on the contact's situation, that they remained healthy, completed the 21-day monitoring period, did not present with any symptoms, and are not a risk to public health.
The illness typically starts with a rash and fever. People may vomit and have a severe headache and muscle aches. In severe cases, infected individuals may bleed from the nose, gums and eyes, and internal bleeding manifests as blood in vomit, urine and stool. Severe blood loss can cause shock and death.
Scientists are working to develop vaccines and treatments, but currently, supportive care consists of rest and fluids
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