Marburg

On 27 September, the Ministry of Health of Rwanda declared an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the country, the first such outbreak in Rwanda. On 28 September, the Ministry of Health presented the situation and priority response measures to development partners, which include

1. Collaborative surveillance (contact tracing on health systems and training, active case search at all levels, and point of entry screening in Kigali and land borders.
2. Emergency coordination (activation of the operations centre and cells at decentralized level.
3. Community awareness (implementing effective risk communication and RCCE measures, safe and scalable care, and countermeasures and research, including medications such as Favipiravi, Ribavirin, and MBP091.

The coordination mechanisms put in place include a National Epidemic Preparedness and Response Coordination Committee (NEPRCC), linked to an expert advisory team and partners; a national command post, district command posts, and four sections: operations (including epidemiology and surveillance, case management and IPC, and laboratory), planning, administration and logistics, and RCCE.

Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent filovirus disease, which can cause haemorrhagic fever, clinically similar to Ebola disease. The initial infection is caused by close contact with Rousettus bat (fruit bat), often found in mines or caves. It spreads between people via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing). Burial ceremonies (with direct contact with the body) can contribute to transmission. The incubation period of the disease is two to 21 days