Sabin Vaccine Institute CEO Amy Finan is in Rwanda to discuss with health authorities the overall response to the Marburg virus disease, including the roll-out of the institute’s vaccine against the illness, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday, October 18. She was received by Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, in Kigali. Sabin Vaccine Institute is a US-based organised on a mission to make vaccines more accessible in the world. Today, @sabinvaccine CEO Amy Finan, who is in Rwanda, was received by Minister @nsanzimanasabin and Minister of State @YvanButera in Kigali to discuss the overall response to Marburg virus disease, including the roll-out of the institute’s Marburg vaccine. pic.twitter.com/YSQywSBjsA — Ministry of Health | Rwanda (@RwandaHealth) October 18, 2024 Currently, the institute’s investigational single-dose vaccine is being administered to protect people at high risk of contracting Marburg virus, according to the Ministry of Health. On October 5, Rwanda received 700 doses of the vaccine, while on October 12, it got 1,000 more doses of it from the institute – bringing the total to 1,700. ALSO READ: Nsanzimana says additional vaccines to bolster response to Marburg outbreak Data from the Ministry of Health shows that 876 doses (or slightly more than a half) of the vaccine had been administered – corresponding to 876 people immunised – as of October 17. According to the institute, the administration of its vaccine is in accordance with a clinical protocol that has been reviewed and approved by Rwandan ethics and regulatory authorities. ALSO READ: Rwanda hoping to see 'zero new Marburg cases, deaths for several days' On October 17, Nsanzimana observed that vaccination, especially for the contacts of confirmed cases (which is referred to as ring vaccination) and a positive trend in the use of new therapeutics contributed to the progress registered in the management of Marburg various. This includes the fact that, overall, new Marburg infections were declining significantly, mortality was reducing, while recoveries were increasing – outnumbering deaths. “We anticipate to continue to vaccinate those at high risk, those close contacts but also healthcare workers that are on the frontline, most exposed and other people we see that could be potentially affected,” he said. According to the Ministry of Heath, since the Marburg outbreak was reported on September 27, 62 cases of Marburg virus had been confirmed in Rwanda as of October 17. They include 15 deaths representing a fatality rate of 24 per cent, and 43 recoveries. Four patients were still under treatment.
