The Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana announced that after a difficult journey, the health authorities are dealing with the Marburg epidemic that was first seen in the country, which has been completely defeated and eradicated, and now they are following up on the mines where there have been outbreaks so that we will no longer come into contact with people to spread the disease.
The Marburg epidemic appeared in Rwanda on September 27, 2024, and in the first two weeks the number of patients reached 50.
At the beginning of November, there were already 66 Marburg patients, while 15 had died and 49 had recovered.
Even now the numbers are the same. On December 20, 2024, the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana announced that since the last patient was discharged from the hospital 42 days ago, it was the one that was expected to be declared finished.
He said, “It was a difficult journey but today we have overcome the Marburg epidemic in Rwanda.
Marburg was over, according to WHO guidelines we had to count 42 days after the last patient was admitted and left the hospital.
We had been counting the days. The night of the 19th was the 42nd day, so today we announce that Marburg has already been defeated in Rwanda."
Minisante shows that in other places where this epidemic was observed, the risk of killing reached 90% of those infected, but in Rwanda it is at 22.7%.
The WHO statistics indicated that the death rate from this epidemic could not be less than 24%. Dr. Bian Tshilombo expressed that reaching this milestone was the result of Rwanda's effort to ensure that the health of the people is preserved but with the cooperation of international health institutions.
