Rwanda has launched a vaccination drive to tackle its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly fatal Ebola-like disease that has already claimed 12 lives. Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana announced on Sunday that vaccinations would begin immediately, focusing on frontline healthcare workers and close contacts of confirmed cases.
“The vaccination is starting today immediately,” Nsanzimana stated during a press conference in Kigali. He emphasized that the priority would be those at the highest risk, including healthcare workers in treatment centers, hospitals, ICUs, and emergency rooms.
The vaccines, sourced in part from the Sabin Vaccine Institute, arrived in Rwanda recently. The outbreak, first detected in late September, has resulted in 46 confirmed cases and 12 deaths, with Marburg’s fatality rate reaching as high as 88%.
Marburg virus symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. It is transmitted to humans via fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Neighboring Uganda has experienced several outbreaks of the virus in the past.
“We believe that with vaccines, we have a powerful tool to stop the spread of this virus,” Nsanzimana added.
