Six people have died from the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the health minister announced.
Sabin Nsanzimana said most of the victims were health care workers in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
There have been 20 confirmed cases since the infection was confirmed on Friday.
Marburg disease has a fatality rate of up to 88% and belongs to the same virus family as Ebola. It is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and through contact with the body fluids of an infected person.
Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases death due to extreme blood loss.
The World Health Organization says there is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus, but a variety of blood products, drugs and immunotherapies are being developed.
Rwanda said it was ramping up contact tracing, surveillance and testing to stop the spread of infection.
The health minister said authorities are tracing around 300 people who came into contact with a person infected with the Marburg virus.
He urged people to avoid physical contact to limit the spread of infection.
Authorities have previously advised the public to remain vigilant, wash their hands with clean water and soap or disinfectant, and report any suspected infections.
Most of the reported cases have occurred in the capital, Kigali.
The U.S. Embassy in the city has advised its staff to work remotely for the next week.
This is the first time that Marburg has been confirmed in Rwanda.
Neighboring Tanzania reported an outbreak in 2023, and Uganda reported three deaths in 2017.
