Marburg Outbreak Ending Countdown Begins

The WHO Africa recently announced that the Republic of Rwanda had discharged the last Marburg virus disease (MVD) patient, kicking off the mandatory 42-day countdown to declare the outbreak's end.

As of November 9, 2024, a total of 66 MVD cases and 15 deaths have been recorded during the outbreak, which was declared on September 27, 2024. Health workers, who constitute almost 80% of the cases, primarily became infected while providing emergency care to their colleagues and patients.

"This outbreak demonstrates that with the best available treatment, recovery is possible, and contributions to science can be made," said Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda's Minister of Health, in a press release. 

The World Health Organization published the Marburg vaccine development landscape on February 13, 2023. As of November 2024, no approved MVD vaccines exist.

Marburg is a highly virulent virus with a fatality ratio of up to 88%, and it was initially detected in Germany in 1967 following a lab incident. The virus belongs to the same family as the Ebola virus. Illness begins abruptly with high fever, severe headache, and malaise, and many patients develop severe hemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

Currently, the U.S. CDC's Level 3—Reconsider Nonessential Travel Advisory remains active. The CDC recommends reconsidering nonessential travel to Rwanda, which is experiencing an outbreak of Marburg.