Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, has officially declared the end of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak in the country.
The announcement comes after 42 consecutive days with no new cases, following the recovery and discharge of the last confirmed patient. The milestone marks a significant achievement in controlling the outbreak and safeguarding public health.
The outbreak, confirmed on 27 September 2024, was the first Marburg Virus Disease outbreak Rwanda has experienced. A total of 66 confirmed cases and 15 deaths were recorded.
Almost 80% of the cases were among health workers who were infected while providing clinical care to their colleagues and other patients.
To halt the spread of the virus and save lives, Rwandan health authorities, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, mounted a comprehensive response, with a large range of measures from disease surveillance, testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, to clinical care and public awareness. These actions helped to curb the spread of the outbreak, with cases halved between weeks two and three after detection and declining by around 90% thereafter.
“The robust response by Rwanda shows how committed leadership, concerted efforts by partners and a strong health system are crucial in addressing public health emergencies, saving and protecting lives as well as safeguarding 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 mobilization of national efforts were instrumental in enhancing the outbreak response.
The last confirmed case received their second negative PCR results on 7 November, kicking off the 42-day countdown to declaring the end of the outbreak, as per WHO recommendation.
