The announcement by Rwanda's Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, follows 42 consecutive days without any new confirmed cases, as required by World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The last confirmed patient was discharged from the hospital on November 8, 2024.
Rwanda announced the Marburg virus outbreak on September 27, 2024. By the time the outbreak was declared over, the country had recorded 66 illnesses and 15 deaths.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Dr. Nsanzimana acknowledged the progress made in containing the outbreak while expressing condolences for the lives lost.
'This is an important milestone for Rwanda's public health system. 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," the minister stated.
The Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed that the outbreak originated from a mining cave inhabited by fruit bats, a known reservoir of the Marburg virus.
Dr. Nsanzimana noted that the government will continue to strengthen surveillance systems to avert future outbreaks.
Containment efforts
From the onset of the outbreak, Rwanda's government, healthcare workers, and international partners activated a robust response. A 24/7 command post was established to coordinate surveillance, testing, case management, vaccination, risk communication, and community engagement.
The country's extensive network of nearly 60,000 community health workers was also instrumental in active case finding and monitoring contacts of infected individuals during the mandatory observation period.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-declares-end-of-marburg-virus-outbreak
