Rwanda has welcomed a team of health experts from the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to strengthen its response to the recent Marburg virus outbreak. The collaboration aims to strengthen the country’s capacity to control and prevent the spread of this serious viral disease.
In response to the outbreak, Rwanda is stepping up its prevention efforts, focusing on increased contact tracing, screening and testing. To date, Rwanda has reported 56 cases of Marburg, with 12 deaths and 8 recoveries.
Director General HE. Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasises that the organisation is currently mobilising resources to fight Marburg across the continent, having previously secured over $1 billion to fight Mpox in various African countries. Once a comprehensive response plan for Marburg is finalised, Africa CDC will intensify its fundraising efforts to ensure that resources are available to effectively manage the outbreak.
The Africa CDC plays an important role in strengthening the capacity of public health institutions across the continent. By fostering partnerships and implementing data-driven interventions, it aims to improve rapid detection and response to disease threats and outbreaks. It is currently working with countries such as Rwanda to tackle the Marburg outbreak and other health challenges on the continent.
