Marburg virus outbreak kills six in Rwanda

Six people have died in Rwanda from a Marburg virus outbreak, primarily affecting healthcare workers in an intensive care unit.

Since the outbreak began, 20 cases have been identified.

Marburg, related to Ebola, can have a fatality rate of up to 88% and spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, and severe bleeding.

Rwanda is enhancing contact tracing and surveillance, tracking around 300 potential contacts.

The U.S. embassy has advised its staff to work remotely for the week.

This marks the first confirmed case of Marburg in Rwanda.