Five more people in Rwanda have succumbed to the deadly Marburg disease, bringing the total number of fatalities to 11, according to the health ministry’s update late on Tuesday.
With a staggering fatality rate of up to 88%, this highly infectious haemorrhagic fever often leads to severe bleeding and organ failure. Since the outbreak began on September 27, the ministry has confirmed that 29 individuals have contracted the disease. Of these, 19 are currently in isolation and receiving treatment nationwide.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday that most of the cases involve healthcare workers, and over 290 contacts have been traced.
Marburg belongs to the filovirus family, which also includes Ebola, a virus that has caused significant devastation during previous outbreaks in Africa. The virus spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
Rwanda has decided against implementing a lockdown to combat the virus. Instead, the public is being encouraged to avoid physical contact.
At present, no vaccines or antiviral treatments are available, but potential therapies—including blood products, immune therapies, and early-stage vaccine candidates—are currently under evaluation.
