The Rwandan government has officially confirmed that the country’s inaugural outbreak of the Marburg virus originated from a cave inhabited by fruit bats. Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana indicated that investigations into the outbreak began on October 20, 2024, when a zoonotic source was suggested.
In a recent update, Dr. Nsanzimana stated that the virus had transitioned from animals to humans, with the first identified case, a 27-year-old individual, linked to mining activities in a cave. “We have successfully traced this outbreak to a zoonotic origin, and we pinpointed the cave where these fruit bats reside, coinciding with mining operations. That’s where we identified our index case,” he said, though he did not disclose the cave’s location.
Comprehensive studies, including genomic sequencing and environmental assessments, have reinforced the identification of a zoonotic origin for the virus. Dr. Nsanzimana emphasized the importance of preventing human interactions with the bats. “Our current priority is to ensure that these fruit bats do not come into contact with humans and to disseminate sequencing information that could aid other regions dealing with similar species,” he added.
All mining operations in the cave have been suspended, and assessments are underway for the miners to monitor their health. “We’ve organized teams from various fields, including veterinary science, epidemiology, genomic surveillance, and laboratory diagnostics, to conduct tests on both the bats and the miners,” he noted. “It’s vital for the scientific community to investigate the interconnections among animals, humans, and their environment.”
The Marburg virus is known for its high contagiousness and can lead to severe hemorrhagic fever. Although outbreaks are rare, they often result in significant mortality rates and pose serious public health challenges.
Dr. Nsanzimana previously shared that the outbreak was first identified when the index case was hospitalized at King Faisal Hospital and treated in intensive care. Symptoms subsequently appeared in healthcare workers who attended to him, prompting an investigation into the virus’s origins. “Identifying the index case was a result of considerable efforts, and we are grateful to have reached this stage, as it is often extremely difficult to do so in many outbreaks,” he remarked.
Since the outbreak was declared on September 27, 2024, Rwanda has recorded 65 cases, with 15 deaths and 47 recoveries.
