Rwanda Says Goodbye to Marburg Outbreak

Rwanda and the World Health Organization have announced that the Marburg virus outbreak in the country is officially over. No new cases have been reported in recent weeks, which is a promising sign. The outbreak began on September 27 and resulted in 15 deaths and 66 cases. Most of the affected individuals were healthcare workers who had contact with the initial patients. Marburg is a serious disease with a high fatality rate if left untreated. It causes symptoms like fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and can lead to extreme blood loss. There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for Marburg, but Rwanda received experimental vaccines in October. An outbreak is considered over after 42 days without new cases and all existing cases test negative. The last Marburg patient in Rwanda was discharged on November 8. Despite the good news, health officials and Rwanda's Health Minister, Dr. Sabin Nzanzimana, warn that risks still exist, particularly from bats. The government is working on new strategies and using advanced technologies to track and monitor bat movements and interactions with humans. Marburg, like Ebola, is believed to originate in fruit bats and spreads through close contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. The virus was first discovered in 1967 during simultaneous outbreaks in Germany and Yugoslavia, leading to seven deaths.