The deadly Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda has put health authorities on high alert

Amid reports of a deadly virus outbreak in central Africa, researchers are reportedly racing to develop treatments and vaccines to combat the Marburg virus.

As of September 30, 2024, the country of Rwanda – which borders Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo – has reported 27 cases of the virus and nine additional deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the same source, most of the cases involved health workers at two health facilities in the city of Kigali.

CDC warns US health authorities of EBOLA-like illness

Patients are being cared for in hospitals, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted on September 29.

“Contact tracing is underway and 300 contacts are being followed up,” the WHO said.

This is the first time Marburg virus has been reported in Rwanda.

What is the Marburg virus?

Similar to Ebola, Marburg is a “rare but severe hemorrhagic fever” that can cause “severe illness and death” with a fatality rate of 20 to 90%.

There have been no confirmed cases in the United States and the CDC says the risk of infection in the country is low.

The Marburg virus “will not become the next pandemic” but should be monitored, says the doctor

“It is extremely deadly in humans and there is no treatment – ​​and unlike Ebola, there is no vaccine,” says Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Centersaid Fox News Digital.

“It is very similar to Ebola in that it causes hemorrhagic fever,” he added.

Marburg is “difficult to catch,” Siegel noted, because it requires close contact with body secretions.

This colorized scanning electron microscope image, taken at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland, shows Marburg virus particles. (Getty Images)

According to the CDC, the virus is spread by the Egyptian flying fox bat, which is found in both Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.

An infected person can spread the disease to other people through the exchange of bodily fluids and contaminated objects.

Marburg is a “rare but severe” hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of 20 to 90%.

Marburg is not new – it was first discovered in 1967, when outbreaks occurred in laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt (both in Germany) and in Serbia (formerly Belgrade, Yugoslavia).

In 2023, outbreaks of the virus occurred in Tanzania (with five deaths) and Equatorial Guinea (12 deaths).

Symptoms, treatment and prevention

Early signs and symptoms of the virus include fever, chills, a rash with flat and raised bumps, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.

Advanced stages of the disease may be characterized by delirium, liver failure, shock, hemorrhagic bleeding, and organ failure.

Most of the cases involved health workers at two health facilities in the city of Kigali, the CDC said. (iStock)

Symptoms typically appear within two to 21 days of infection.

“In fatal cases, death most often occurs between eight and nine days after the onset of symptoms and is usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock,” the WHO said in its health alert.

The tick-borne wetland virus newly discovered in China could cause brain damage, researchers say

There are currently no treatment options for Marburg other than “supportive care,” the CDC noted.

Patients should be under the care of a doctor who can monitor oxygen status and blood pressure, administer intravenous fluids and treat any secondary infections, the agency said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rest and hydration are also key to recovery.

To prevent outbreaks, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with blood and body fluids from sick and recovered people until testing confirms the complete absence of the virus.

Marburg virus, first recognized in 1967, causes a severe form of hemorrhagic fever that affects humans and nonhuman primates. (BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)

People should also refrain from touching objects that may be contaminated with an infected person's bodily fluids, the CDC warned.

There is currently no vaccine available for Marburg, although “some vaccine candidates are currently in development,” according to the WHO.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“There are promising vaccines and therapeutic candidates for MVD, but these need to be demonstrated in clinical trials,” the organization added.

For more health articles, see www.foxnews.com/health

“WHO assesses the risk of this outbreak as very high at the national level, high at the regional level and low at the global level. Investigations are currently ongoing to determine the full extent of the outbreak and this risk assessment will be updated as further information is received.”