Rwanda is grappling with a deadly outbreak of the Marburg virus, with 13 fatalities reported in just two weeks, most of them healthcare workers. The situation has caused widespread fear among those on the front lines, despite reassurances from authorities that the outbreak is under control.
The country’s health minister revealed that the virus is concentrated in the capital, Kigali, and healthcare professionals remain nervous. “What scares you the most is seeing people in the same profession dying,” said Maria, an ICU nurse in Kigali, who spoke under the condition of anonymity. At 46, she worries she may be next, fearing she may already be infected but asymptomatic.
The Marburg virus, similar to Ebola, has a mortality rate of around 50%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Fruit bats are the natural hosts of the virus, which spreads between humans through direct contact with bodily fluids like sweat, urine, and blood.
Although no vaccines have been approved for Marburg, Rwanda has initiated clinical trials with doses provided by the Sabin Institute, a US-based non-profit. So far, 200 people, primarily healthcare workers and those who had contact with confirmed cases, have been vaccinated. As more doses arrive, Rwanda plans to expand vaccinations.
In an effort to strengthen cross-border surveillance, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has supplied 5,000 Marburg test kits to Rwanda and neighboring countries. However, Maria, the ICU nurse, has yet to receive the vaccine. “I am a nurse, I am on the front line—we have to fight it, but the fear is constant,” she shared.
This fear is not limited to Africa. In Germany, anxiety surrounding Marburg spread when part of Hamburg’s central station was shut down after two travelers, including a medical student who had recently visited Rwanda, fell ill. Both tested negative for the virus, but the incident sparked alarm. Similarly, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 travel advisory, warning against non-essential travel to Rwanda.
Rwanda’s neighbors, including Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have heightened border surveillance to prevent the virus from spreading. Burundi has gone further by establishing an emergency treatment and isolation center in anticipation of a possible outbreak.
Despite the measures, healthcare workers like Claire, another nurse in Kigali, are overwhelmed. “I’ve lost colleagues, people dear to me,” she said, speaking anonymously. She expressed concern over the dwindling number of staff available to handle the outbreak, as many of her colleagues have either succumbed to the virus or fallen ill.
Rwanda’s health minister, Sabin Nsanzimana, explained that detecting Marburg cases early has been difficult due to its similarity to malaria, which is endemic in the region. To address this, mass testing is underway for individuals displaying symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, and muscle aches.
In collaboration with the WHO and Africa CDC, Rwanda is responding swiftly by enforcing strict hygiene measures, raising public awareness, and ensuring protective gear for healthcare workers. The country has also restricted funeral attendance for virus victims to 50 people and implemented rigorous health checks, including questionnaires and temperature screenings at key transit points.
To aid in the fight, Rwanda has received 5,100 vials of remdesivir, an antiviral drug previously used to combat Ebola, from Gilead Sciences. While the virus is not yet fully contained, authorities remain hopeful that their swift and collaborative response will prevent further loss of life.
However, the head of Africa CDC cautioned that the level of support given to Rwanda falls short of what the country and the continent deserve in battling such a serious outbreak.
