Rwanda Overcomes Marburg Virus Outbreak, Africa CDC Confirms
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that Rwanda has successfully managed to control the Marburg virus outbreak that claimed the lives of 15 individuals in just three weeks. The African Union agency commended Rwanda for their swift and effective response to the crisis.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya stated that the risk of the virus spreading beyond Rwanda is now minimal, and the country is on track to emerge from the crisis. He praised the government’s measures, ensuring that no contacts could leave the country unknowingly.
The outbreak prompted neighboring countries, including Kenya, to heighten surveillance and preventive measures to safeguard their populations. Rwanda reported 62 cases and 15 deaths from Marburg, predominantly affecting healthcare workers in intensive care units.
Despite the high fatality rate of Marburg, similar to Ebola, Rwanda has received experimental vaccines and treatments from international partners to combat the disease. The CDC has issued a travel notice for Rwanda, urging caution for non-essential travel to the country.
Rwanda’s successful containment of the Marburg outbreak serves as a testament to effective public health response and collaboration in addressing infectious diseases.