Rwanda traces Marburg virus closely as deaths hit eight

Kigali, Sep 30 (IANS) Rwandan authorities said that they are closely monitoring up to 300 individuals identified as contacts of confirmed Marburg virus cases since an outbreak hit the country.

As of Sunday, the Ministry of Health reported that 26 people have contracted the virus, including eight fatalities.

During a press conference in Kigali on Sunday evening, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana did not rule out the possibility of more cases. He said that to mitigate the risk of disease transmission, identified contacts are being isolated in various locations and managed according to their levels of exposure to infected individuals.

Nsanzimana urged the public to remain calm, emphasising that ongoing response efforts are focused on contact tracing, expedited testing, treatment, and ensuring the dissemination of accurate information about the disease.

"People can continue with their daily activities as there is no ban on any activity as part of the Marburg prevention measures. People should not panic as we have identified all the hotspots of the disease and are taking appropriate action," he said.

Reaffirming Rwanda's readiness to contain the outbreak, the minister urged the public to observe preventive measures, while the ministry continues to investigate the origins of the outbreak, Xinhua news agency reported.

At the same press conference, Brian Chilombo, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Rwanda, highlighted the country's robust community healthcare system, which facilitates contact tracing and efforts to contain the virus.

He noted that the WHO is prepared to provide additional testing equipment, and some experimental treatments, and that a team of seven expert researchers specialising in the virus will arrive in Rwanda in the coming days to enhance the country's healthcare capacity and improve understanding of the disease.

The Ministry of Health has advised anyone experiencing symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, vomiting, muscle pain, or stomach aches to visit their nearest health facility.