As Rwanda’s Marburg Fever Situation Improves, Travel Restrictions are no Longer Necessary

The president of Africa’s top public health organisation said Thursday that travel bans to Rwanda are no longer necessary because the Ebola-like Marburg virus outbreak there is under control. On September 27, Rwanda said that 13 people had died as a result of the outbreak. There isn’t a recognised vaccination or therapy for Marburg at the moment. The U.S.-based Sabin Vaccine Institute recently sent 700 doses of an experimental vaccine to Rwanda for use by emergency personnel, medical professionals, and anyone who have come into contact with proven cases.

Since the trial shots arrived, more than 200 people have received vaccinations. The likelihood of Marburg spreading from Rwanda is almost zero, according to Jean Kaseya of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. He noted the participation of several officials and commended the Rwandan government’s strong reaction to the outbreak. “No one can leave Rwanda thanks to the system they put in place to track contacts,” he said.

“Considering that they keep an eye on these contacts daily, this is astounding.” Travellers who have recently visited Rwanda must undergo screening, according to an updated travel alert issued by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday. The updated recommendations advise visitors to think twice before visiting Rwanda for non-essential purposes. This decision, according to Kaseya, was taken without consulting Rwandan officials or the Africa CDC. He maintained that because Rwanda was open about the outbreak, it shouldn’t be punished with travel warnings.