Rwanda reports Marburg virus outbreak resulting in multiple deaths and prompting public health response measures

Rwanda is experiencing its first outbreak of Marburg virus, a highly contagious disease that spreads to humans from fruit bats and then through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. According to the health ministry, 26 people have contracted the virus, with 18 currently in treatment and 8 deaths reported. The majority of those who have died were medical professionals working in a hospital's intensive care unit. The Rwandan authorities have restricted funeral sizes for victims of the virus to prevent further spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying a team of seven global experts in hemorrhagic disease to Rwanda to assist with the outbreak. There are no reported cases of Marburg in the United States, and the risk to Americans is considered low.