Marburg viral disease: Rwanda health officials confirm first cases of illness from same family as Ebola
Rwanda has confirmed its first cases of Marburg disease, a viral hemorrhagic fever that can cause death among some patients, the country’s health ministry says.
It said in a statement that it was investigating to determine the origin of the infection and that those infected had been isolated for treatment.
The ministry did not give exact numbers but said there were few cases.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.With a fatality rate of as high as 88 per cent, Marburg is from the same virus family as the one responsible for Ebola and is transmitted to people from fruit bats.
It then spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people.
Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, muscle aches and stomach aches, the ministry said.
Neighbouring Tanzania had cases of Marburg in 2023 while Uganda had similar ones in 2017.
