Rwanda announced on Friday the end of the Marburg virus disease epidemic, initially declared on September 27.
KIGALI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — Rwanda announced on Friday the end of the Marburg virus disease epidemic, initially declared on September 27.
This announcement made by the Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, during a press conference in the capital, Kigali, comes after 42 consecutive days without a new case following the discharge of the last confirmed patient, which is in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Rwanda recorded its last confirmed case on October 30 and its last Marburg virus disease-related death on October 14. Mr. Nsanzimana said he was “encouraged” by the progress made and particularly praised the “dedication” of health professionals.
While the zoonotic origin of the virus has been identified, the ministry said in a statement that the outbreak had resulted in 66 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths and 51 recoveries.
The minister stressed that although this epidemic is over, preventive measures will remain in place. The country plans to use GPS technology to track bats, the main vectors of the virus, to monitor their movements and habitats. “This is not the end, the fight continues,” said Brian Chirombo, local WHO representative.
From the start of the epidemic, Rwanda quickly put in place a response to the pandemic, the ministry welcomed. A 24/7 command post has been established to oversee all aspects of containment, including surveillance, testing, case management, vaccination, risk communication and community engagement.
Marburg virus, a highly infectious pathogen with a mortality rate of up to 88%, causes hemorrhagic fever. Symptoms, including high fever and severe headache, usually appear within a week of exposure to the virus. It belongs to the same family of viruses as the Ebola virus, according to the WHO.
