United States: The cases reached almost thirty, and several people have died, making this one of the largest Marburg outbreaks in recorded history.
The number of cases, advancing to 27, already ranks the outbreak among the largest involving Marburg on record. Of those individuals, nine of them have died.
Further Insights
Experts note that there are no licensed vaccines available to prevent the transmission of this disease.
So far, over 70 percent of confirmed cases have been among healthcare workers in two hospitals located in Kigali, according to statnews.com.
WHO Statement
However, in a press release on Monday night, the WHO said that the transmission risk of Ebola is considered to be high in neighboring countries.
It also indicated that the disease may affect areas outside the East African region. It reported that one contact of a suspected case—the individual believed to be the initial infected person—had traveled to another country.
According to WHO’s statement, “appropriate response measures have been implemented” by the country in question.
“Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the outbreak, and this risk assessment will be updated as more information is received,” international agency stated.
Similarities to Other Major Diseases
While Marburg virus leads to illnesses akin to those caused by its relative, Ebola, the number of cases has historically remained low, with fewer than ten reported in past outbreaks.
More than 100 cases have been documented twice, with the most severe outbreak occurring in 2004-2005 in Uige, Angola, where 252 cases resulted in 227 fatalities.
Craig Spencer, an associate professor at Brown University’s School of Public Health, stated, “Rwanda has emerged as a leader in the region for its contributions to health security and its improved response to outbreaks and chronic diseases that have affected the area in recent history,” as reported by statnews.com.
The WHO has deployed a team of seven experts to Rwanda to help contain the outbreak.
Additionally, the U.S. CDC has confirmed that its office in Rwanda is providing support.