Rwanda is finalising the process to identify the source of the current Marburg virus outbreak – the first ever in the country’s history – as well as the first patient to suffer from it, according to Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana.

He was responding to questions – during a press briefing on the Marburg virus outbreak – on the timeline of when the first Marburg test was done, when the first patient was identified, as well as insight into how the latter got revealed.

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While there are some media reports that suggest there is a person who died of Marburg virus disease who happened to be the first patient [also called index patient or patient zero] to be affected by the haemorrhagic fever disease – leading to infection spread to some healthcare workers in an intensive care unit at one health facility in Kigali (King Faisal Hospital) – Nsanzimana said that the index patient is yet to be identified.

He also refuted claims that the first Marburg virus tests and results occurred earlier compared to the period Rwanda reported.

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The first Marburg virus tests, Nsanzimana said, were conducted on September 26, confirmed the same day (night), and announced publicly on September 27 and the process followed international protocol and guidelines.

The minister pointed out that tracing back where the first patient or the virus came from is an ongoing effort.

"And we’re very soon, in a few days, completing our sequence activity, and also other testing, including ELIZA serology. So, we are combining several efforts including One Health teams working together on an epidemiologist.”

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is a commonly used laboratory testing technique that detects and counts certain antibodies, antigens, proteins, and hormones in bodily fluid samples.

"So, we’re soon going to come up with a conclusion, but at this moment I cannot say that this is our patient zero. But we have some areas or some pieces of information that we are going to be sharing once we conclude this particular sequence approach. I want also to thank Africa CDC that has brought in a team to work with our national reference lab at Rwanda Biomedical Center.”

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In an earlier press briefing – on October 3 – Nsanzimana said that they were conducting different levels of sequencing to determine exactly when the virus started and the index patient, observing "it may not be concluded soon, but we are highly interested to know so that it can help also to trace more and also to be prepared.”