KIGALI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has made progress in containing the spread of Marburg virus disease, as the East African country has reported no new deaths for three weeks, a senior official said Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, Rwandan Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana provided updates on Rwanda's containment efforts and the origins of the outbreak, which was first declared on Sept. 27.
Rwanda last recorded a Marburg-related death on Oct. 14. "It has been almost a month without a Marburg-related death in Rwanda, which is good news in the fight against this deadly virus," Nsanzimana said.
"Investigations traced the virus back to fruit bats, identified as the primary source of infection. The index case was linked to a mine where these bats roost, prompting authorities to install a barrier separating the bats' habitat from the working areas," he said.
Nsanzimana added that a team of doctors now monitors the health of mine workers daily, and similar preventive measures have been applied in other mines where these bats are known to reside.
Currently, Rwanda has two patients under medical care for Marburg, both in stable condition, he said.
Nsanzimana noted that killing the bats is not an option, as they play an important ecological role in controlling insects and pollinating plants. "The types of bats carrying Marburg reside mainly in caves and transmit the virus seasonally, coinciding with their breeding cycle," he explained.
Nsanzimana added that, to prevent further spread, a team of experts has been established to identify other possible sites where the virus might be harbored.
He said that the virus can persist in certain body fluids of recovered patients, including semen, breast milk and eye tissue. Recovered patients are advised to avoid unprotected sexual contact until they are confirmed virus-free to reduce transmission risks.
From Nov. 1, the Ministry of Health began issuing weekly updates on Marburg infection, recovery rates and preventive measures.
So far, Rwanda has reported 66 confirmed cases, 15 deaths and 49 recoveries, with 6,099 tests conducted. A total of 1,629 vaccine doses have been administered to frontline healthcare workers and emergency responders.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious pathogen with a fatality rate of up to 88 percent, causes hemorrhagic fever and belongs to the same virus family as Ebola, according to the World Health Organization. Symptoms usually appear within a week of exposure and include high fever, intense headache and general malaise. ■