Six people have died in a major outbreak of Marburg disease in Rwanda, a viral hemorrhagic fever from the same family as Ebola.

At least 26 cases have been reported since the outbreak was first confirmed on Friday, the health minister has announced, marking the first-ever reported cases in Rwanda.

While the source of the outbreak is not yet known, cases have been reported in six of the country’s 30 districts, suggesting it may be widespread

The majority of cases so far recorded have been reported in health workers in and around the country’s capital Kigali.

The city has a population of 1.2 million people and a well-connected airport, raising concern of further spread via international and domestic travel, experts have warned.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is deploying experts and outbreak response tools to Rwanda to help curb the virus. Shipments of emergency medical supplies are expected to land in Kigali in the coming days.

The agency also said it is coordinating efforts to reinforce cross-border measures in Rwanda’s neighbouring countries to avert further spread.

With a fatality rate of up to 88 per cent, Marburg is initially transmitted to people via fruit bats, and then spreads through contact with bodily fluids of infected people.

Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle pains, diarrhoea, and vomiting. In severe cases, death occurs from extreme blood loss.

There are no specific treatments or licensed vaccines available for Marburg virus, but a range of therapeutics are currently in development, according to the WHO.

It is the fourth-largest Marburg outbreak ever recorded, a particular concern given cases were only confirmed on Friday.

Neighbouring Tanzania reported an outbreak in 2023, while three people died from the virus in Uganda in 2017.

Rwandan authorities have urged the public to stay vigilant, wash their hands with clean water and soap, and report all suspected cases.