After Rwanda declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease on September 27, the country’s Minister of Health reassured attendees at a briefing that the situation is under control.
During a meeting with diplomats and development partners, Minister Nsanzimana discussed the vaccination strategies being implemented to combat the disease.
Last week, Rwanda received 700 doses of an experimental vaccine, which has been administered to healthcare professionals and those who have been in contact with confirmed cases.
“We were informed that the vaccines were available. We viewed it as a great opportunity to enhance our immune systems,” said Augustin Sendegeya, Chief Medical Officer at King Faisal Hospital.
Despite the vaccine being in trial stages, Sendegeya expressed confidence in its safety and potential value for those at risk of infection.
Some doctors have reported no significant side effects from the vaccine. “I didn’t observe any major reactions; those who were vaccinated yesterday experienced few symptoms,” noted Blaise Dushimiyimana, a gynecologist at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali.
So far, more than 200 people in the country have received the vaccine.
Marburg virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness in humans, and Rwanda has reported 13 deaths related to the outbreak since it was announced.