WHO DON: Marburg virus disease – Rwanda

WHO has published a new DON: Marburg virus disease – Rwanda. Excerpt:

Situation at a glance  

It has been over a month since the declaration of the Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in Rwanda on 27 September 2024. As of 31 October 2024, 66 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths (CFR: 23%), have been reported including two new confirmed cases since the previous Disease Outbreak News report. WHO continues to support the Government of Rwanda in responding to the outbreak. Enhanced surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control measures must be maintained until the outbreak is declared over.   

Description of the situation  

Since the last Disease Outbreak News on this event was published on 25 October 2024, two additional laboratory-confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD) were reported in Rwanda on 26 and 30 October respectively. These cases are known contacts of a previously confirmed case and are currently in isolation and receiving treatment. As of 31 October 2024, 66 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths (CFR: 23%), have been reported. Among confirmed cases, 68% are males, and 45% are adults between 30 and 39 years of age.  

Health workers from two health facilities in Kigali account for almost 80% of all confirmed cases. Most cases are reported from the three districts in Kigali city.  

The highest number of new confirmed cases were reported in the first two epidemiological weeks of the outbreak with 26 cases reported in epidemiological week 39 (23 to 29 September 2024) and 23 cases in week 40 (30 September to 6 October).  

Following just one case reported in epidemiology week 42 (14 to 20 October), three cases were reported in epidemiology week 43 (21 to 27 October) and one case in week 44 (reported on 30 October).   

Since the declaration of the outbreak by the Government of Rwanda on 27 September and as of 31 October, 49 confirmed cases have recovered, and two cases are still receiving care at the designated Marburg treatment centre.  

As of 31 October 2024, 6099 tests for Marburg virus have been conducted, with approximately 100-350 samples being tested daily at the Rwanda Biomedical Center.     

Contact tracing is ongoing, with 559 contacts listed under follow-up as of 31 October 2024.  

WHO continues to support the Government of Rwanda to respond to the ongoing outbreak. Enhanced surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control measures must be maintained until the outbreak is declared over.