Rwanda: 66 Cases of Marburg Fever Reported, with 15 Fatalities Since September
Since the end of September, at least 66 individuals in Rwanda have been infected with the Marburg virus, resulting in 15 reported fatalities, according to a statement released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday.
“As of October 31, there have been 66 confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease in Rwanda, leading to 15 deaths. The fatality rate stands at 23%,” the report indicated.
Between October 25 and 31, the WHO documented “two new confirmed cases.” Nearly 80% of those affected have been linked to two healthcare facilities in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
Health officials are currently monitoring the health status of 559 individuals who had contact with the infected patients. More than 6,000 tests for the Marburg virus have been conducted thus far.
The Rwandan Ministry of Health announced on September 27 that the country is facing an outbreak of Marburg virus disease, which belongs to the same family as Ebola.
The last outbreak occurred in Africa from February to June 2023, affecting Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.
Modern medicine identifies bats as the primary carriers of this disease, which can be transmitted to humans. The mortality rate varies between 24% and 88%, depending on the strain of the virus and the efficacy of treatment methods. Currently, no cure exists for this type of hemorrhagic fever.
