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Rwanda’s Ministry of Health officially announced victory over the Marburg epidemic on Friday, December 20, following a series of measures implemented by health officials over a period of three months. 

These efforts were championed by the country’s ministry of the health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations that collaborate with the country’s health sector. 

Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said, “On September 27, 2024, the ministry of health announced for the first time in Rwanda there were a few patients suffering from this high fever disease caused by the Marburg virus. Since then, the National Health Service, the World Health Organization, and other partners begun the fight against the epidemic.”

The East African country began the countdown to the end of the deadly outbreak on November 9, having discharged the last patient on November 8.

According to WHO guidelines, a country needs to go 42 days from the day the last patient is discharged before it can be declared free of an outbreak.

A total of 66 confirmed cases and 15 deaths were recorded during the outbreak, which was declared on September 27.

Despite announcing victory, the country’s health minister emphasized that it was not the end of the collaborative effort against the virus.

“The Marburg epidemic is now over, but the fight against it is not over. We will continue to build capacity, new teams and new programs as we move forward,” Dr Nsanzimana said.