Rwandan authorities have limited the size of funerals for Marburg virus victims in an effort to curb the outbreak of this highly contagious disease.
Eight people died in Rwanda’s first virus outbreak, confirmed Friday by the national health ministry.
Marburg, with a mortality rate of up to 88%, belongs to the same family of viruses as Ebola. It spreads to humans from fruit bats and then through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
In new guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of Marburg, the Health Ministry said no more than 50 people should attend the funeral of someone who died from the disease.
“Normal business and other activities” can continue in the East African country, the notice issued Sunday evening said.
However, he also urged the public to avoid close contact with “symptomatic individuals.” The ministry listed symptoms including fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus can cause death from significant blood loss.
Ministry of Health guidelines state that hospitalized patients will not be allowed visitors for the next 14 days.
Patients will also only be allowed one caregiver at a time, according to the guidelines.
In many developing countries, relatives of patients perform basic care tasks, such as bathing and feeding, that are usually done by a nurse in other countries.
On Saturday, when the official death toll was six, Rwanda’s health minister said most of the victims were health professionals working in a hospital intensive care unit.
Most of the reported cases occurred in the capital, Kigali.
Rwanda said it was stepping up contact tracing, surveillance and testing to help contain the spread.
The health minister said on Sunday that authorities were tracking around 300 people who had come into contact with those affected by the Marburg virus.
Authorities have urged people to practice good hygiene, such as frequent hand washing.
This is the first time Marburg has been confirmed in Rwanda.
Neighboring Tanzania reported an outbreak in 2023, while three people died in Uganda in 2017.
