Kigali, Rwanda 20 December 2024,
The Government of Rwanda today announced the end of the Marburg virus epidemic, with no new cases reported in the last 42 days. The announcement came after the last patient tested negative twice, in line with the standard protocol put in place to put an end to this type of outbreak.
Confirmed on 27 September 2024, this outbreak of Marburg virus disease was the first of its kind in Rwanda. A total of 66 cases were laboratory confirmed, with 15 deaths recorded. Nearly 80% of cases involved healthcare workers infected while treating colleagues and other patients.
To stop the spread of the virus and save lives, the Rwandan health authorities, with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners, deployed a comprehensive response, encompassing a wide range of measures from disease surveillance to screening, infection control, contact tracing, clinical care and public awareness. These measures helped to slow the spread of the outbreak, as evidenced by a halving of the number of cases between the second and third week after detection, and a reduction of around 90% thereafter.
‘Rwanda’s energetic response shows the extent to which committed leadership, concerted efforts by partners and a strong health system are essential to deal with public health emergencies, save and protect lives and preserve the health of individuals and communities,’ said Dr Brian Chirombo, WHO Representative in Rwanda.
The deployment of WHO experts, a team of national first responders from other countries in the Region, and the strong mobilisation of national efforts have helped to strengthen the response to the outbreak. The last confirmed case received its second negative PCR test result on 7 November, marking the start of the 42-day countdown to the official declaration of the end of the epidemic, in line with the WHO recommendation.
The World Health Organization continues to work closely with national authorities to maintain essential measures to ensure rapid detection and response in the event of a resurgence or new cases of transmission of the virus. The WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health in setting up and maintaining a comprehensive care programme for people who have recovered from Marburg virus disease, with the aim of enabling them to overcome any after-effects.
The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as the virus responsible for Ebola. It is highly virulent, with a case-fatality rate of between 24% and 88%. During this outbreak, the case-fatality rate was relatively low, at around 23%. The virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats, and is spread within the human species by direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as with soiled surfaces and materials.