KAMPALA, Uganda — According to the head of Africa’s leading public health agency, the recent outbreak of Marburg fever in Rwanda is under control, indicating that travel restrictions targeting the nation are unwarranted. Rwanda officially reported the outbreak on September 27, with a total of 13 fatalities attributed to the virus.
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment available for Marburg. However, last week, Rwanda obtained 700 doses of an experimental vaccine from the U.S.-based Sabin Vaccine Institute. These doses are intended for health care workers, emergency responders, and individuals who may have been in contact with confirmed cases.
Jean Kaseya, who leads the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expressed confidence that the likelihood of Marburg spreading beyond Rwanda is extremely low. He commended the country’s comprehensive measures in response to the outbreak, noting that government officials have effectively coordinated efforts. Kaseya stated, “The mechanisms they have instituted to trace contacts ensure that no contact can leave Rwanda.” He emphasized that contacts are being monitored daily, a commendable effort that reinforces the country’s containment strategy.
On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its travel advisory for Rwanda, calling for screening of travelers who have recently visited the country. The updated advisory suggests that non-essential travel to Rwanda should be reconsidered.
Kaseya criticized this advisory, asserting it was made without the input of the Africa CDC or the Rwandan authorities. He argued that Rwanda should not face punitive travel restrictions for being transparent in its reporting about the outbreak.
Presently, Rwanda has documented a total of 58 confirmed cases of Marburg, with 12 patients having recovered. Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana characterized the American travel advisory as “not the best thing to do.” He highlighted that over 200 individuals have received vaccinations since the experimental doses arrived.
Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is thought to originate from fruit bats and can transmit between humans through close contact with bodily fluids from infected persons or through contaminated surfaces, including bed linens.
Without medical intervention, the Marburg virus has a mortality rate that can reach as high as 88%. Symptoms typically include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, fatalities due to significant blood loss.
Health care workers represent the majority of those infected across six of Rwanda’s 30 districts, including areas close to Congo, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania, as reported by the World Health Organization.
Local authorities have advised Rwandans to refrain from physical contact to reduce transmission risks. Measures such as suspending school activities, restricting hospital visits, and limiting the number of attendees at funerals for Marburg victims have been implemented. Furthermore, home vigils are prohibited if a death is linked to Marburg.
The U.S. Embassy in Kigali has also directed its staff to work remotely and avoid office visits during this period.
Historically, Marburg outbreaks have been reported in various nations, including Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana. The virus was first discovered in 1967, following simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories located in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia, resulting in seven fatalities among researchers who had come into contact with the virus while working with infected monkeys.