Kigali, Friday, 20 December 2024 – The Government of Rwanda today announced the end of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak in the country. This declaration comes after 42 consecutive days with no new cases, following the discharge of the last confirmed patient, in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
The outbreak, which began in mid-September 2024, saw 66 confirmed cases, with 15 lives lost and 51 patients recovering. Also, two patients were successfully extubated after intensive care, marking a significant step in clinical management of the disease.
Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said:
“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. We have successfully identified the virus’s zoonotic origin and we continue to strengthen our surveillance systems”.
From the onset of the outbreak, Rwanda swiftly activated its pandemic response. A 24/7 command post was established to coordinate all aspects of the response, including surveillance, testing, case management, vaccination, risk communication, and community engagement. The coordinated efforts of government, healthcare workers, and partners ensured an efficient and evidence based process that brought the outbreak under control in a timely manner.
The successful end of the MVD outbreak underscores Rwanda’s commitment to building resilient health systems and ensuring the country’s preparedness to respond rapidly to future health emergencies.
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