Rwanda is gearing up to start clinical trials for vaccines and treatments aimed at combating Marburg disease in the coming weeks. This announcement follows the country’s first outbreak of the viral illness, which has led to 11 confirmed deaths. Health authorities detected the disease in late September, with 36 cases reported so far.
During a press briefing, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana stated that these trials are part of the government’s commitment to provide effective solutions for those affected. “Our goal is to ensure rapid recovery by utilizing vaccines and treatments specifically designed for this outbreak, which is now in the final research phase,” he explained. The government is partnering with pharmaceutical companies that developed these interventions, alongside the World Health Organization, to expedite the trial process through international collaboration.
The health ministry is also engaging with companies based in the United States and Europe to facilitate this initiative. Currently, officials are monitoring 410 individuals who have been in contact with confirmed cases. Assistant Health Minister Yvan Butera added that five people who tested negative are awaiting further test results.
Marburg disease, a type of viral hemorrhagic fever, manifests symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, and general malaise, typically appearing within seven days of infection. The World Health Organization reports that the disease can have a fatality rate as high as 88%. Marburg is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Previous outbreaks were recorded in neighboring Tanzania in 2023 and Uganda in 2017.
