Rwanda battles Marburg virus: What and how worrying is it?

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Rwanda is currently facing its inaugural outbreak of the lethal Marburg virus, with a total of 36 reported cases and 11 fatalities thus far.
The World Health Organisation recently said that the risk posed by the outbreak is extremely high within Rwanda, high across the African continent, and low on a global scale.
Marburg virus: What is it?
Marburg is a virus that belongs to the same family as Ebola.According to the WHO, it causes haemorrhagic fever and has an average fatality rate of 50%, although rates have been as high as 88% in previous outbreaks. The UN health agency says that early clinical care and rehydration can improve survival.
The virus was initially discovered in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia in 1967, following laboratory work with African green monkeys from Uganda that resulted in human infections. Since then, outbreaks and sporadic cases have occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, according to the WHO.
How does the Marburg virus spread?
Marburg virus is transmitted to humans through extended contact with mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus fruit bats. Human-to-human transmission is also possible via direct exposure to the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Contaminated surfaces or materials, particularly those with blood, can also contribute to the spread of the virus.
Is a vaccine available to cure the virus?
Rwanda’s health minister has announced that while no vaccines or treatments for Marburg have been approved yet, several promising candidates may soon enter trials. Non-profit organisations, such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute, which is collaborating with Rwandan officials on the outbreak, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), have developed vaccine candidates.
“There are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, but there are a number of promising candidates that could begin trials soon,” Rwanda’s health minister has said.
The UK-based team responsible for developing the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at Oxford University has already initiated a trial of their Marburg candidate this summer, utilising similar technology.
Rwanda monitors spread of Marburg Virus
Rwanda is closely observing approximately 300 individuals who have had contact with confirmed Marburg virus cases. The majority of the identified cases, about 70%, are medical professionals from two healthcare centres located in Kigali, the nation’s capital. However, cases have been detected in seven out of the country’s 30 districts.
According to Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, the disease can be transmitted not only within healthcare settings but also during funeral ceremonies for those who have succumbed to the virus.
In some cultures, these rituals involve close physical contact with the deceased during the preparation for burial, which can facilitate the spread of the disease.
As a result of the outbreak, health authorities worldwide are maintaining a heightened state of vigilance to detect any potential spread of the Marburg virus to neighbouring countries or other regions.
Marburg reaching new places
In recent years, several African countries have experienced their first encounters with the Marburg virus. Guinea reported the initial case in West Africa in 2021, followed by Ghana’s declaration of its inaugural outbreak in 2022. The following year, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea also announced their first occurrences of the virus. Public health interventions successfully contained these relatively small-scale outbreaks.
Researchers have suggested that the rising frequency of Marburg outbreaks appears to be connected to human activities that disrupt animal habitats. The current outbreak in Rwanda has already emerged as one of the most significant Marburg events in history.