88% Fatality Rate Spreads Marburg Disease Rwanda "Starting Vaccination"

First vaccinations have begun in Rwanda, where a high fatality rate of up to 88% and the highly contagious Marburg disease is spreading, local health officials said.

Rwanda's health minister, Sabin Nsanjimana, announced that it would receive 700 doses of the vaccine being studied from the U.S.-based Sabin Vaccine Laboratory and would first inoculate medical staff, emergency responders and individuals who had contact with confirmed cases.

"We have signed a clinical trial agreement with the Rwandan Biomedical Center for vaccine research to provide trial doses," the Sabin Vaccine Research Institute said in a statement. "It will be administered to approximately 700 high-risk adults, starting with medical staff, in accordance with the approved procedures."

There is still no internationally approved vaccine or treatment for Marburg's disease.

According to the Associated Press, 12 people have died of Marburg disease in the East African country, including six since the first outbreak was confirmed on the 27th of last month in Rwanda.Rwandan health officials say there are 46 confirmed cases of the disease, 29 of which are under quarantine, with symptoms similar to those of the Ebola virus.

In addition, more than 400 people have been in contact with confirmed patients.

The first case of infection came from a patient in a medical facility, but the cause of the outbreak has not yet been confirmed.

Marburg's disease, which is considered similar to the Ebola virus due to its high fatality rate of up to 88%, is an acute infectious disease with symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, and bleeding.

It is known to spread through large bats that feed on fruits, and can be infected through fluid contact between humans.