On October 15, the World Health Organization announced that Rwanda has commenced clinical trials for the treatment of Marburg virus disease. This marks the first time such trials have been conducted globally.
The trials aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two treatments: remdesivir, an antiviral medication, and MBP091, a specialized antibody designed to combat the Marburg virus. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus characterized this development as encouraging news.
According to reports from the United Nations, Marburg virus disease is a highly lethal illness caused by the Marburg virus, presenting symptoms such as high fever, headaches, and bleeding, with an average fatality rate of approximately 50%. Since the virus was first identified in 1967, no vaccines or approved effective treatments have been available, although some immunotherapies and drugs are currently under development.
Rwanda’s Ministry of Health announced the country’s first cases of Marburg virus infection on September 27. As of October 15, Rwanda has confirmed 62 cases of Marburg virus infection, with 15 fatalities and 30 recoveries reported. On October 10, Jean Kaseya, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that the outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Rwanda is now under control.
