Rwandan authorities have restricted the size of funerals for victims of the Marburg virus in an effort to contain the outbreak of the highly contagious disease.
Eight people died when the virus broke out for the first time in Rwanda, which was confirmed on Friday by the Ministry of National Health.
Marburg, which has a fatality rate of up to 88%, is from the same family of viruses as Ebola. It spreads to humans from fruit bats and contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals.
In the new guidelines to stop the spread of Marburg, the Ministry of Health said that no more than 50 people should attend the funeral of a person who died of the disease.
“Normal business and other activities” can continue in the East African country, said the advisory, published on Sunday evening.
However, it also urged the public to avoid close contact with “symptomatic people”. The ministry cited symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus can cause death from massive blood loss.
Health ministry guidelines said hospital patients will not be allowed visitors for the next 14 days.
Patients will also be allowed one caregiver at a time, the guidelines said.
In many developing countries, loved ones of patients perform basic care tasks – such as bathing and feeding – which are often performed by a nurse in other countries.
On Saturday, when the death toll reached six, Rwanda’s health minister said most of the victims were health workers in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Dr Nahid Bhadelia, director of the Boston University Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, told BBC Newsday that stopping the spread of the virus could be a challenge as most of the cases were reported in the populous capital, Kigali, where previous outbreaks have been frequent. remote rural areas where they are easier to control.
However, he added that there is hope as Rwanda “has a better infrastructure and history of public health communication than many other countries”.
Rwanda has said it is stepping up tracing, surveillance and testing to help contain the spread.
The country’s health minister said on Sunday officials are looking for around 300 people who came into contact with people infected with the virus in Marburg.
Authorities have urged the public to practice good hygiene such as washing hands regularly.
This is the first time that Marburg has been certified in Rwanda.
Neighboring Tanzania reported an outbreak of violence in 2023, and three people died in Uganda in 2017.
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