The trial, the first of its kind globally, is being conducted in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). It involves testing the safety and efficacy of two treatments: Remdesivir, a drug already used to treat COVID-19, and MBP091, a special antibody designed to fight the Marburg virus.
According to WHO, the trial is the result of two years of work by nearly 200 researchers, developers, Ministry of Health officials, and global partners, including representatives from 17 African countries at risk of filovirus outbreaks, such as Ebola and Marburg.
In addition to the treatments, Rwanda recently rolled out vaccinations for frontline health workers and high-risk individuals.
So far, over 700 vaccine doses have been administered. The first batch of 700 doses, provided by the Sabin Vaccine Institute, arrived just nine days after the outbreak was declared. A second shipment of 1,000 doses followed on October 13, 2024.
Since the outbreak was confirmed late last month, Rwanda has reported 62 cases and 15 deaths from over 4,000 tests conducted. Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana has been providing daily updates on the outbreak.
According to the minister, all new confirmed cases have been within the hospital cluster in Kigali and their contacts, and all are under isolation and treatment. There is no evidence of community transmission.
The Marburg virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever, is believed to originate from fruit bats and spreads through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, rash, chest pain, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and unexplained bleeding.
To prevent infection, health experts recommend strict hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing and avoiding contact with personal items or bodily fluids of individuals showing symptoms of Marburg virus disease.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
