Rwanda’s health minister announced on Sunday that the Marburg virus outbreak in the country is not spreading. There have been no new infections or deaths in the past six days, and all positive cases have been linked to known contacts of infected individuals.
The government has been successful in identifying and isolating people exposed to the virus, which is crucial for stopping the spread of viral hemorrhagic fevers like Marburg. Rwanda has documented over 1,100 contacts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) praised Rwanda’s efforts to contain the outbreak. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebereyesus said that the outbreak is being managed under strong leadership but that continued vigilance is essential.
Rwanda declared the outbreak on September 27 and has so far reported 15 deaths. Health authorities have confirmed 44 recoveries, and only three active cases remain.
Most of the affected people have been health workers who contracted the virus while treating patients. An investigation found that the index case was likely a 27-year-old man who had been exposed to the virus from contact with a specific cave-dwelling bat species.
The Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Without treatment, it can be fatal in up to 88% of cases.
Rwandans have been urged to avoid physical contact, and schools, hospital visits, and funerals have been restricted to curb the spread. Home vigils are banned for Marburg-related deaths.
The U.S. Embassy in Kigali has advised its staff to work remotely and avoid visiting offices. There is no authorized vaccine or treatment for Marburg.
Marburg outbreaks have been recorded in several African countries, including Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana. The virus was first identified in 1967 after outbreaks in German and Yugoslavian laboratories.