Marburg virus kills 8 in Rwanda. What you need to know about Ebola-like outbreaks and symptoms

Eight people have died in Rwanda due to this disease Marburg virus just days after the country declared an outbreak fatal hemorrhagic fever does not have an approved vaccine or treatment.

So far 26 cases have been confirmed in the country, said health minister Sabin Nsanzimana on Sunday.

“Marburg is a rare disease,” Nsanzimana told reporters. “We are intensifying contact tracing and testing to help stop the spread.”

He said the cause of the disease was not yet known.

Marburg cases and outbreaks recorded in Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Ghana, according to the World Health Organization.

Here’s what you need to know about this disease.

What causes Marburg virus?

Love EbolaMarburg virus comes from fruit bats. It can spread between people through close contact with the body fluids of infected people or through surfaces, such as dirty bed sheets, clothing, needles or medical supplies.

The World Health Organization notes that the Marburg virus does not spread through the air.

This rare virus was first discovered in 1967 after it caused simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia. Seven people have died who were exposed to the virus while doing research on monkeys.

Symptoms of Marburg virus

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of Marburg virus include:

• fever
• the cold
• headache
• muscle pain
• rash
• chest pain
• Sore throat
• diarrhea
• cleaning up
• abdominal pain
• unexplained bleeding or bruising

“In the later stages of the disease, bleeding from various places such as the gums, nose and anus can occur. Patients can experience shock, depression and organ failure,” said the WHO.

Without treatment, Marburg can kill up to 88% of people who develop the disease. There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for this virus.

A person infected with the virus can take between three days and three weeks to show symptoms, said Nsanzimana.