After mpox outbreak, Africa is under the threat of yet another virus outbreak, this is the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda. So far, six people have died from the outbreak, confirmed the health minister. Most victims were the healthcare workers in the hospital's intensive care unit. As per reports, 20 cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday.

What Is Marbug Virus?

With the fatality rate of 8% it is the same virus family as Ebola. The main carrier is from fruit bats which spreads to humans then through the contact of bodily fluids of infected individuals, it spreads to others.

Common Signs And Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of the Marburg virus include fever, pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and in the case of extreme blood loss, death too can happen.

So far, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus. However, treatments like drugs and immune therapy are being developed as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Call Of Action

Rwanda says that it has intensified its contact tracing, surveillance and testing to contain the spread. It has also tracked about 300 people who had come into contact with individuals affected by the Marburg virus.

The health minister has urged people to stay vigilant and avoid any physical contact and to wash their hands with clean water, soap or sanitiser and report any suspected case.

As of now, most of the cases have spread to the capital in Kigali. In light of this, the US Embassy in the city has advised its employees to work remotely for the next week.

This is the first time Rwanda has confirmed for Marburg cases, before this, in 2023, Tanzania confirmed the outbreak, whereas three people had died of this in Uganda in 2017.

History Of Marburg

As per WHO, this virus kills half of the people it infects. In the previous outbreaks, it has killed between 24% to 88% of the patients.

The virus was first detected in 1976 after 31 people were infected, out of which 7 died in simultaneous outbreak in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and Belgrade in Serbia.

The source was traced to African green monkeys who were imported from Uganda. However, other animals too are linked to the virus spread, including bats.

In the past, the virus outbreaks have happened in countries like Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. In 2005, this virus killed 300 people in Angola.

However, for the rest of the world, only two people have died from the virus in the rest of the world, with one of them being in Europe, and the other in the US. These both have been on expeditions to caves in Uganda.

Nathan Crawford from the UK was just 9-years-old when his testicular tissue was frozen, before undergoing chemotherapy for his brain tumor.

About 16 years later, the cryopreserved immature testicular tissue was reintroduced into his body, which triggered sperm cell production and restored his fertility, according to researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

“This is an important step in further scientific research to preserve the fertility of children with cancer or other blood diseases for the future. While the procedure is specifically designed to restore fertility, we cannot at this time guarantee that it will be successful or that patients can go on to have children. This treatment offers lots of perspectives for these young adults. They now have options that they did not have until recently,” said Dr Veerle Vloeberghs, part of the novel trial and staff member at Brussels IVF.

What Had Happened To Nathan

Nathan, now 27-years-old, had a type of tumor called a glioma, which develops from the glial cells that support the nerve cells of the brain, The Guardian reported. The tumor was so close to vital brain tissue that surgeons were unable to remove it without causing serious damage to important brain functions.

He underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink his tumor, before which surgeons at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford in a keyhole surgery removed and froze a wedge of testicular tissue, with the aim that it is one day re-implanted into Nathan.

How Is The Testicular Tissue Preserved?

While Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are lifesaving they can destroy testicular stem cells, the precursors of sperm cells in boys who undergo radical treatments before starting puberty. As it can affect their fertility, preventively removing and freezing testicular tissue is an option pioneered by UZ Brussel.

In 2002, UZ Brussel became the first hospital worldwide to initiate a clinical fertility preservation program for young boys suffering from cancer or diseases of the blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes.

Since then, the hospital has frozen testicular tissue fragments of 141 boys.

The tissue is preserved in liquid nitrogen at -196°C.

Prepubescent boys do not yet produce sperm cells. The removed tissue contains stem cells that would normally produce sperm after starting puberty.

"While the procedure is specifically designed to restore fertility, we cannot at this time guarantee that it will be successful or that patients can go on to have children,” Dr Vloeberghs said.

How Was The Testicular tissue Implanted

The Guardian reported that in 2025, four tissue fragments were grafted back into the remaining testicle and four under the skin of the scrotum.

After a year inside the body, the grafts were removed and analysed in the laboratory. The results are published in a preprint paper, which is yet to be peer reviewed.

Two of the grafts from inside the testicle had produced mature sperm, which was collected and frozen.

Because the tissue fragments are not directly connected to the sperm duct, the researchers do not expect sperm cells to naturally find their way into the semen.

“This is a huge finding,” Prof Ellen Goossens, of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, who led the trial was quoted as saying. “Many more people will have hope that they can have biological children. It’s great to see for the patients for whom we already have tissue banked.”

A new research paper published in the PNAS Journal triggered concerns over the potential risk of influenza D spilling over into humans.

Although primarily found in livestock such as cattle and swine, this virus has been increasingly studied due to evidence of exposure among agricultural workers.

A key concern raised was that the influenza D virus triggers a relatively weak early immune response in human respiratory cells.

However, to understand whether it is just a hype or a real concern, HealthandMe spoke to Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Ex-President of IMA Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala.

“So far, this virus has not been a major cause of respiratory disease in man, unlike other types of Influenza viruses like H1N1 and H3N2 of the Influenza A family. It is true that studies have demonstrated antibodies against this virus among cattle farmers, which is consistent with its ability to infect species other than cattle,” Dr. Jayadevan said.

He noted that the virus may not be an “imminent threat” to humankind as feared.

“So far, the signals are that this virus remains primarily a cattle pathogen, which doesn’t pose an imminent threat to man, unlike other types of influenza viruses”.

What is the Influenza D Virus?

Influenza D is one of four types of influenza viruses and belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family. Unlike the more familiar influenza A and B viruses that cause seasonal flu in humans, influenza D has primarily been detected in animals, particularly cattle and pigs.

According to the US CDC, the virus was first identified in 2011. It has since been found across multiple species, including livestock and wildlife, including camels, deer, giraffes, kangaroos, llamas, wallabies, and wildebeests.

It is not currently known to cause illness in humans, but has had a spill over in different animal species — more recently in poultry.

CDC’s January 2026 report stated that “influenza D has shown to have considerable potential for causing future human epidemics, but diagnostics and surveillance for the viruses are lacking”.

Also read: Can A Common Cold Virus Save You From Cancer? New Study Claims So

What Did The PNAS Study find?

Researchers investigated multiple influenza D virus isolates collected from livestock between 2011 and 2020 to assess their ability to infect human airway systems.

The paper demonstrated that the virus is capable of infecting human respiratory cells and was also adept at switching off the interferon-based ‘alarm systems’ of the cell.

This means that the virus may spread silently and efficiently, but without causing significant symptoms, Dr. Jayadevan said.

Importantly, the findings suggest that only small genetic changes might be needed for influenza D virus to achieve more sustained transmission in humans, although this has not yet been observed.

Read More: Hantavirus Outbreak: WHO Flags 6 Suspected Cases; How The Rare Rodent-Borne Virus Spreads

H5N1 Bird Flu: A More Deadly Threat

Dr. Jayadevan told HealthandMe that a bigger concern for humans besides the commonly circulating human Influenza A and B viruses is the avian influenza (bird flu) virus H5N1.

H5N1 spreads among birds and carries a very high death rate whenever it infects humans.

“Fortunately, this bird flu virus isn’t able to easily spread from person to person, but ongoing mutations could potentially change that,” the expert said.

When it comes to living with a common cold, the infection is not as simple as it sounds. There are headaches; you may feel irritable and may even sometimes struggle to sleep properly. A blocked or runny nose may even put you in awkward situations in a social setting; however, a new study says that catching a common respiratory virus could stop breast cancer cells from taking hold of your lungs. Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London and Imperial College London have discovered that RSV can benefit cancer patients to a great extent. Find out how.

How does RSV lower cancer risk?

The study, published in the PNAS journal, found that scientists who conducted tests on mice found that those who fought off RSV infection developed relatively fewer tumours in the lungs, the most common spot for breast cancer cells to spread. When breast cancer spreads to other body parts, it is known as secondary breast cancer. Scientists say that RSV infections have this effect when lung cells detect RSV-like viruses. They then produce immune cells to stop the virus from taking over. This makes it more difficult for cancer cells to form new tumours by taking control in the lungs.

For the study, cancer biologists introduced breast cancer cells to mice that had recently experienced an RSV infection. They developed fewer tumours (not smaller) in the lungs compared to mice that were not living with RSV infection. The infection also increases levels of Galectin-9, a protein that is responsible for enhancing the immune response to the virus and also for stopping cancer cells from taking over.

What do previous studies indicate?

Previous research shows that 60 per cent of stage four breast cancer patients developed tumours in their lungs. At present, the five-year survival rate stands at 30 per cent. Researchers also claim that the findings could pave the way for new treatments that may prevent tumours from spreading. However, it does not mean that RSV infections will be used for cancer treatment. Researchers noted that they can find ways to make the lungs more resistant to the successful seeding of cancer cells that have become metastatic. Experts say that a drug could be developed to replicate the effects observed in mice. Studies in humans can also help confirm whether the effect can be replicated.

Is RSV common?

RSV is common, but it can be fatal, especially in younger children. The virus results in thousands of hospitalisations every year and may lead to serious complications such as lung infections and pneumonia. The virus is a leading cause of death among babies in the UK, especially during winter. It is also expected to result in the deaths of 8,000 adults during the same period. The infection can put strain on a patient’s heart, causing organs to fail.