42 days after the recovery of the last patient, the Rwandan government officially declared this Friday, December 20, the end of the epidemic of the Marburg virus, a virus close to Ebola which, like it, causes hemorrhagic fever. Declared on September 27, this first Marburg epidemic ever recorded in the country ended with a toll of 66 confirmed cases and 15 deaths.
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With our correspondent in Kigali, Lucie Mouillaud
With 22.7% deaths among confirmed cases, Rwanda’s mortality rate is one of the lowest ever recorded in a Marburg virus outbreak. An assessment from which we must learn lessons, explains Dr Brian Chirombo, representative in the country of the World Health Organization (WHO): “ Through decisive case management and a comprehensive strategy, the loss of life has been significantly reduced and community transmission stopped. This unified effort, driven by rapid detection, contact tracing and isolation, has set a new regional benchmark. »
The fight against Marburg does not end there. According to health authorities, the outbreak began in a mine near Kigali where bats, natural hosts of the virus, transmitted it to the index case. Objective now: monitor these risk sites throughout the country.
“ We formed new teams and strategiesdeclares Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health. We are also adding new technologies to track these bats with GPS and know their migrations and movements, and ensure we end interactions with humans. »
Another challenge is to improve rapid detection systems in emergencies and intensive care centers, while more than 80% of confirmed cases in Rwanda are members of the healthcare staff of the two establishments which treated the first patients .
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