The World Health Organization and the Rwandan government have officially declared the recent outbreak of Marburg fever in Rwanda as over. The outbreak was first declared on September 27 and resulted in a total of 15 deaths and 66 cases, with the majority of those affected being healthcare workers who had direct contact with the initial patients.
Marburg fever, a virus similar to Ebola, can be fatal in up to 88% of cases if left untreated. Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, death due to extreme blood loss. Despite there being no authorized vaccine or specific treatment for Marburg, Rwanda received hundreds of doses of an experimental vaccine during the outbreak.
An outbreak is considered officially over after 42 days, which is equivalent to two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus, with no new cases reported and all existing cases testing negative. The last Marburg patient in Rwanda was discharged on November 8, and no new confirmed cases have been reported since October 30.
While the outbreak has been declared over, health officials emphasize that risks still exist, particularly from bats, which are believed to be the origin of the Marburg virus. Efforts are ongoing to develop new strategies, deploy advanced technologies to monitor bat movements, behavior, and interactions with humans to prevent future outbreaks.
Marburg outbreaks and isolated cases have been recorded in several African countries in the past, including Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana. The Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 after causing outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Yugoslavia, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals who were exposed to the virus during research on monkeys.
Both the WHO and Rwandan health authorities commend the government and citizens for their strong response to the outbreak but stress the importance of remaining vigilant as the battle against infectious diseases continues.
