Rabat — Rwanda officially announced today the end of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak after 42 days with no new infections.
The milestone follows the recovery and discharge of the last virus-positive patient.
The Outbreak began in mid-September and saw 66 confirmed cases. Of these, 15 died and 51 recovered. Two critically ill patients were taken off life support.
“This is an important milestone for Rwanda’s public health system,” said Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Health.
MVD is a rare but deadly virus, similar to Ebola, with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and severe bleeding. The virus spreads through contact with infected body fluids, making outbreaks dangerous and hard to contain.
The Rwandan government acted fast following news of the outbreak. They set up a 24/7 command post to manage the crisis and teams worked around the clock to trace back contacts, test patients, and vaccinate the most at-risk groups.
The public was kept in the loop through regular updates, while communities worked hand in hand to contain the spread.
Dr Nsanzimana said he is proud of his country’s quick response.
“While we mourn the lives lost, we are encouraged by the progress made. We have reached this point because of the dedication of our healthcare workers, the government, and our partners whose seamless collaboration and swift, coordinated action made it possible to contain the outbreak effectively,” he enthused.
“We have successfully identified the virus’s zoonotic origin and we continue to strengthen our surveillance systems.”
Health experts credit strong leadership and international support for the successful containment of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, Rwanda now hopes to remain vigilant for any future healthcare emergencies.
