Deadly Viral Outbreak Sees Impressive Decrease in New Cases

Two months after Rwanda’s first Marburg outbreak, the African country is delighted to share that the number of new cases has dramatically decreased, primarily due to a robust healthcare system that limited exposure to the virus.

“We are at a case fatality rate of 22.7% — probably among the lowest ever recorded [for a Marburg outbreak],” states Dr. Yvan Butera, the Rwandan Minister of State for Health. “It’s not yet time to declare victory, but we think we are headed in a good direction.”

The Marburg virus – a highly deadly disease with no approved vaccines or medications – generally kills 9 out of 10 patients. In Rwanda, following the horrific 1994 genocide, the country spent decades building up a state-of-the-art healthcare system, which consequently played a significant role in containing the Marburg outbreak. They’ve also created a separate Marburg treatment facility to protect other patients and medical staff from being exposed to the virus. Consequently, the number of new Marburg cases dwindled from several per day to just four reported in the last two weeks. Two of the patients who experienced multiple organ failure had to be put on life support, but they have now been extubated and have recovered from the virus. The total for the Rwanda outbreak is 66 Marburg patients and 15 deaths, a tally far less deadly than in other parts of the world.