Rwanda begins vaccination against Marburg virus

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Rwanda has started vaccine trials for the Marburg virus, health authorities said Sunday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana said the country has received the first 700 doses of a vaccine from the US-based Sabin Vaccine Institute for an initial campaign targeting populations under high risk of contracting the deadly virus such as health care workers and contact persons of Marburg patients.

Noting that more doses were expected, Nsanzimana assured Rwandans about safety concerns, saying the vaccine has been tried in neighboring Uganda and Kenya.

At least 46 people, including 12 dead, had been confirmed to have contracted the virus as of Saturday.

Rwandan authorities have introduced a set of measures to control the disease’s spread since its outbreak last month in the country, including banning visits to hospitalized patients and limiting gatherings in case of death from Marburg.

The Marburg virus disease is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola, a highly virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88%, according to the World Health Organization.

Illness caused by the Marburg virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headaches and severe malaise.

Many patients develop severe hemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.