WHO warns about risk of new global epidemic

The Marburg virus reported in Rwanda in September could potentially spread to neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement, Report informs.

The WHO has requested the authorities of the three countries to take additional measures for epidemiological control at the border with Rwanda.

On September 27, the Rwandan Ministry of Health confirmed the outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the country, which is caused by a virus belonging to the same class as the Ebola virus. According to WHO, 26 cases of Marburg fever have been detected in Rwanda, with 9 deaths to date.

Some 70% of the patients are medical workers from two hospitals in the capital, Kigali. Authorities have identified nearly 300 people who may have been in contact with an infected person. All of them are under surveillance.