Rwanda: School Visits Resume As Marburg Virus Lessens

The New Times
Medics in charge of helping Marburg patients at Kigali Hospital. According to the Ministry of health, only one Marburg patient under treatment.
25 October 2024
The New Times (Kigali)
By Aurore Teta Ufitiwabo

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has updated its measures to prevent the spread of the Marburg virus in Rwandan schools, announcing the resumption of monthly visits and inter-school sports activities.

The ministry said, however, that schools would continue to adhere to other epidemic control measures such as handwashing.

ALSO READ: Rwanda records first Marburg case in eight days

"Boarding school visits are to resume according to each school's established schedule, and inter-school games and other activities are now allowed, subject to Marburg virus prevention guidelines," MINEDUC said in a statement released on Friday, October 25.

It added that the decision was based on the information provided by the Ministry of Health regarding the status of Marburg virus outbreak, which was confirmed in Rwanda on September 27.

The education ministry temporarily suspended school visits on October 2, after health authorities had confirmed 29 cases of the Marburg virus and 10 deaths in the first five days of the outbreak.

ALSO READ: Marburg outbreak: What we know 20 days later

As of October 24, the Ministry of Health had confirmed 65 cases and 15 deaths.

With three patients in isolation and receiving treatment for the Marburg virus, no new deaths have been reported since October 15.

Meanwhile, over 5,000 tests have been conducted and more than 1,300 vaccine doses administered.

ALSO READ: Marburg virus came from animal to human, genomic sequencing indicates

The Friday's announcement also noted that schools were not authorized to make independent decisions regarding medical tests for students except at the direction of the Ministry of Health.

MINEDUC urged headmasters, teachers, and students to adhere to Marburg virus prevention guidelines, particularly emphasizing frequent and thorough hand washing.

"Heads of schools are required to immediately call the hotline 114 for assistance if a student displays symptoms of Marburg virus disease," the statement said.

ALSO READ: How Rwanda detected the first Marburg virus cases

This hemorrhagic disease, whose symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhoea, is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and spread through human-to-human contact of bodily fluids.

The Ministry of Health said that the Marburg virus confirmed in Rwanda came from animal to human without passing through multiple hosts, and resembled previous strains such as one reported in the region in 2014.

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