Rwanda that is grappling with the Marburg outbreak, is soon going to get $1.35 million in funding from U.S. Government. USAID has already responded to this outbreak and has mobilized its resources to control it. This funding will be used to provide critical medical care, diagnostic supplies, and PPE kits for the healthcare workers.
Marburg is from the family of Filoviridae and is a type of hemorrhagic fever virus. The virus can be easily spread from body fluids, fruit bats, unsafe sex, or from broken skin and it looks similar to Ebola in symptoms as both of them belong to the same family. The current fertility rate in Rwanda is around 31% and it is one of the biggest outbreaks of Marburg ever documented in human history, and around 13 people have died from this ,and there were around 58 confirmed cases.
Previously, the USA Embassy in Rwanda has already issued an alert and has asked its staff to work remotely and with number of monitored people has risen to 3,000, it is more important than ever to control it at this stage. WHO has also responded with travel restrictions and trade restrictions to Rwanda along with the Centers for Disease Control, which has advised people against unnecessary traveling.
Sabin Nsanzimana who is serving as the health minister of Rwanda, has confirmed that they have received 700 vaccine doses which can be used in trials and these vaccines has been provided with the support of the US Government and international partners from Sabin Vaccine Institute. Priority will be given to frontline healthcare workers and response teams including individuals who are currently trying to control the outbreak.
