Dr. Thierry Roels, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Director in Rwanda, confirmed that the shipment of the consignment was completed on Friday, October 4, 2024.
'The U.S. government has completed an initial shipment of therapeutic and vaccine doses to support Rwanda in the first days of its response to the emergence of the Marburg virus in Kigali," Roels said on Saturday, October 5, 2024, without revealing the number of doses delivered.
Roels indicated that the U.S. government is working closely with international partners and Rwanda's Ministry of Health to initiate clinical trials for evaluating investigational countermeasures. The U.S. is also considering additional shipments that would supply the trials.
The delivery of the consignment comes days after Rwanda's Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, confirmed plans to roll out therapeutic clinical trials for the vaccination and treatment of the highly contagious disease.
Among the vaccines being evaluated is one developed by the Sabin Vaccine Institute, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Early-stage human trials have demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and triggers an immune response.
On Saturday, the Sabin Vaccine Institute announced the delivery of approximately 700 doses to Rwanda for a trial targeting frontline workers, including healthcare professionals.
"In response to a request from the government of Rwanda and the Ministry of Health to support its ongoing Marburg outbreak response, we have provided an initial shipment of 700 investigational Marburg vaccine doses to be used in a trial targeting frontline workers. We dispatched the shipment within seven days of first being contacted for assistance, thanks to our many partners," the organization said in a statement.
"We are prepared to supply additional vaccines pending a request from Rwandan officials and authorization from BARDA, which is funding our current research and development efforts."
In addition to vaccination efforts, Gilead Sciences, an American biopharmaceutical company based in Foster City, California, announced on Thursday that it would donate approximately 5,000 vials of its antiviral drug, remdesivir, to Rwanda for emergency use in response to the outbreak.
Rwanda has so far confirmed 46 cases, 12 deaths, and five recoveries from Marburg disease. Cumulative tests conducted have surpassed 1,700.
Initial symptoms of Marburg virus disease include high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue, followed by gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. As the disease progresses, it can lead to severe hemorrhaging, organ failure, and shock.
To prevent infection, health experts recommend maintaining strict hygiene practices, including frequent handwashing and avoiding contact with personal items or bodily fluids of individuals showing Marburg-like symptoms.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/u-s-delivers-first-shipment-of-marburg-vaccines-to-rwanda
