Rwanda officially declares the end of the Marburg virus epidemic

Rwanda declared this Friday, the end of the epidemic of the disease at Virus Marburg, which had been reported for the first time on September 27.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, during a press conference in Kigali, the capital. This decision comes after 42 consecutive days, without any new cases, in accordance with the protocols of the World Health Organization (WHO), and after the healing of the last confirmed patient.

The last case of disease at Virus Marburg was detected on October 30, while the last death linked to this epidemic dates back to October 14. Sabin Nsanzimana was delighted with the progress made, welcoming the ” dedication “ Health professionals who worked tirelessly.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, the epidemic, whose zoonotic origin was confirmed, caused 66 confirmed cases, led to 15 deaths and 51 healings. Although the crisis is officially completed, the minister said that preventive measures will remain in force.

Among them, the use of GPS technology to follow the trips and habitats of bats, considered the main vectors of the virus. Brian Chirombo, local representative of the WHO, however recalled that “it is not the end, the fight continues”.

Upon the appearance of the epidemic, Rwanda deployed a quick and coordinated response. An operational command post 24 hours a day and 7 days a week has been set up to manage surveillance, tests, management of cases, vaccination, risk communication and community engagement.

The Marburg virus, belonging to the same family as the Ebola virus, is a highly contagious pathogen, with a mortality rate up to 88 %. It causes a hemorrhagic fever of which the first symptoms, such as a strong fever and violent headache, generally appear in the week following exposure.