Rwanda is facing its first-ever outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, with 36 cases and 11 deaths reported. WHO has classified the risk as very high in Rwanda and high across the African region. Marburg, related to Ebola, has a fatality rate that can reach 88% in severe cases.
Rwanda is currently facing its first outbreak of the lethal Marburg virus, having reported 36 cases and 11 fatalities. The World Health Organization stated this week that the outbreak poses a very high risk in Rwanda, a high risk across the African region, and a low risk globally.
What is Marburg virus?
Marburg is a virus related to Ebola that causes hemorrhagic fever, with an average fatality rate of 50%, though it has reached 88% in past outbreaks, according to the WHO. Early medical care and rehydration can improve survival chances. Symptoms typically start with a sudden high fever and severe headache, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, and uncontrolled bleeding.
The virus was first identified in 1967 in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia, after lab work with African green monkeys from Uganda led to human infections. Since then, outbreaks and sporadic cases have occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
How does it spread?
Marburg is transmitted to humans through prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus fruit bats. It can also spread between people through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with surfaces and materials contaminated by those fluids, including blood.
Is there a vaccine?
There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, but Rwanda's health minister has indicated that several promising candidates may enter trials soon. These include vaccines developed by non-profit organizations like the Sabin Vaccine Institute, which is collaborating with Rwandan officials, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
Additionally, the team from Oxford University that created the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine started testing its Marburg vaccine candidate this summer in the UK using similar technology.
What else is happening?
Rwanda is monitoring around 300 contacts of confirmed cases, with about 70% involving healthcare workers from two facilities in Kigali. Cases have also been reported in seven of the country’s 30 districts. The virus spreads not only in healthcare settings but also at funerals, where close contact with the deceased is common in some cultures, according to Paul Hunter, a professor at the University of East Anglia.
Is Marburg reaching new places, and why?
In 2021, Guinea reported West Africa's first case of Marburg, followed by Ghana declaring its first outbreak in 2022, and Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea in 2023. These outbreaks were generally small and controlled through public health measures. Scientists suggest the rising frequency of outbreaks may be linked to human encroachment on animal habitats. The current outbreak in Rwanda is already among the largest recorded.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have initialed a draft peace agreement, marking a significant step toward ending years of conflict in eastern Congo.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing political bias and obstruction by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Following high-level talks in Astana, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame adopted a joint statement and oversaw the exchange of nine cooperation documents between their countries.
The DRC and Rwanda have pledged to draft a peace deal by May 2 and stop backing armed groups, as part of new efforts to end conflict in eastern Congo.
China has nearly doubled its naphtha import quotas for 2025, issuing a second batch of allocations to chemical companies as demand surges and cheaper alternatives like propane and ethane face supply disruptions, according to six trade sources.
Iran’s president says his country ready to pursue dialogue ‘to reclaim Iranian nation’s rightful demands’
Britain’s competition regulator may force Google to rank businesses more fairly in search results and provide consumers with alternative services, using new powers to regulate tech giants.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during this week’s NATO summit, offering Kyiv an opportunity to push for U.S. Patriot missiles and stronger sanctions on Russia.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
The world is facing a health financing emergency as global health investment risks falling to its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
China has successfully mastered the technology to produce Yttrium-90, a critical medical isotope used in radiation therapy for liver cancer, within a commercial nuclear reactor.
German biotech firm BioNTech (22UAy.DE), has agreed to acquire domestic peer CureVac, for about $1.25 billion worth of BioNTech shares, it said on Thursday, to boost its work on new mRNA-based cancer treatments.
Revolutionizing Heart Care: How Artificial Intelligence Powered Digital Twins Are Shaping the Future of Medicine
Researchers at the University of Miami have discovered 230 new giant viruses in global ocean waters, shedding light on their hidden role in marine ecosystems and their potential impact on public health.
China has nearly doubled its naphtha import quotas for 2025, issuing a second batch of allocations to chemical companies as demand surges and cheaper alternatives like propane and ethane face supply disruptions, according to six trade sources.
Iran’s president says his country ready to pursue dialogue ‘to reclaim Iranian nation’s rightful demands’
Britain’s competition regulator may force Google to rank businesses more fairly in search results and provide consumers with alternative services, using new powers to regulate tech giants.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during this week’s NATO summit, offering Kyiv an opportunity to push for U.S. Patriot missiles and stronger sanctions on Russia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment