Highlights:
· The Rwanda Ministry of Health is reporting that as of October 3rd:
o There are 37 confirmed cases of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) that have been reported in seven of the country’s 30 districts.
o 21 patients are in isolation receiving treatment.
o A total of 1,009 cumulative tests have been conducted.
o Five patients have recovered.
o 11 people have died.
o MVD is highly virulent and has a fatality ratio of up to 88%.
o MVD was first identified on September 27th by the Rwanda Ministry of Health and is the first outbreak in Rwanda.
o The source of the outbreak, geographical extent, the likely date of onset, and additional epidemiological information on cases are still under investigation.
o There is currently no available treatment or vaccine for MVD. Some candidate vaccines are currently under development.
· MVD spreads between people via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.
· Burial ceremonies that involve direct contact with the body of the deceased can also contribute to the transmission of MVD.
· The incubation period varies from two to 21 days.
· Common Symptoms:
o Illness caused by MVD begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise.
o Severe watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting can begin on the third day.
o Although not all cases present with hemorrhagic signs, severe hemorrhagic manifestations may appear between five and seven days from symptoms onset, and fatal cases usually have some form of bleeding, often from multiple areas.
· National, Regional and International Response
o Contact tracing is underway with at least 300 contacts initially identified.
o The Rwanda Ministry of Health on September 29th stated that the public can continue with their daily activities. There is currently no ban on any activity as part of the MVD prevention measures.
o The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with neighboring countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) to review their operational readiness capabilities.
o On September 30th, WHO announced that they are deploying seven global experts.
o The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and WHO on October 2nd delivered 500 kits of Personal Protective Equipment, kits of infection prevention and critical care supplies.
o On October 3rd, USAID and WHO delivered 270 PCR kits and 2,500 other test kits to the Rwanda Ministry of Health.
o The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported that on October 2nd two travelers in Germany were isolated due to a history of exposure in a medical facility in Rwanda where MVD patients were being treated. These two individuals have tested negative for MVD.
o The U.S. Embassy in Kigali out of an abundance of caution is authorizing its employees to work remotely from September 30 to October 4.
· WHO Risk Assessment:
o National Level: High
o Regional Level: High
o Global Level: Low
Sources:
· Disease Outbreak News: Marburg virus disease – Rwanda, 30 September 2024
· WHO Rwanda Twitter Page
· European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Twitter Page
· Rwanda Ministry of Health Twitter Page
· State Department Consular Affairs Twitter Page
Resources
CDC Health Alert Network: First Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak in the Republic of Rwanda
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