World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has commended Rwanda’s rapid and effective response to the Marburg virus outbreak, noting the important role of leadership in managing such health crises. Speaking during a media briefing on Sunday, October 19, Dr. Tedros said, “I met His Excellency, the President, yesterday, and his knowledge of the situation and the measures being taken is heartwarming. He's on top of it, and I was so glad.” ALSO READ: WHO boss in Rwanda to see firsthand country's Marburg response He noted the importance of leadership in handling outbreaks, adding, “In outbreaks like this, the role of top leadership is very important. But what impressed me even more was how fast they acted once the first case was reported. It was really fast.” Dr. Tedros also emphasised Rwanda's quick deployment of medical treatments and vaccines. For instance, therapeutics were deployed quickly, considering the logistics involved, and vaccines were in use within a week, with approvals expedited. That's leadership. The response was fast, he said. The results of this swift action have been promising, with a significant drop in cases. We’ve seen the number of cases decline significantly over 90 per cent and no new cases have been reported since Monday, he noted. He added that Rwanda's surveillance systems, including the command centre he visited, have been instrumental in managing the outbreak. ALSO READ: WHO Africa chief lauds Rwanda's 'swift' response to Marburg outbreak Dr. Tedros also acknowledged the efforts of both local and foreign experts working on the ground, saying, It's not just my observation, I’ve spoken to both nationals and foreign nationals directly involved in the response, and they are very happy with the government's strong actions. It’s very well managed. He added: “We’re pleased to see that there have been no new cases in the past six days, and we hope that remains the case. Yesterday, we visited the treatment centre, where there are still a few patients receiving treatment, although most are now negative, and we expect them to be discharged shortly.” Dr. Tedros also commended Rwanda’s critical care capabilities, noting they had not previously been used in an outbreak of viral haemorrhagic fever in Africa. He shared the story of two patients who exhibited all symptoms of the Marburg virus, including multiple organ failure, but were placed on life support, successfully extubated, and are now recovering. ALSO READ: Rwanda: First Marburg patients taken off mechanical ventilation in Africa - official “We believe this is the first time patients with Marburg virus have been extubated in Africa. These patients would have died in previous outbreaks. This reflects the work Rwanda has done over the years to strengthen the health system, building capacity in critical care and life support that can be deployed both in regular hospital care and in emergencies,” he said. Dr. Tedros also applauded Rwanda for quickly initiating vaccine and therapeutic trials, even though no approved treatments for Marburg currently exist. “Although there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for Marburg, we congratulate Rwanda for the speed with which it initiated trials of both vaccines and therapeutics.” In addition to the progress, Dr. Tedros urged caution, warning against complacency. “We’re dealing with one of the world’s most dangerous viruses, and continued vigilance is essential. Enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, and infection prevention and control measures must continue at scale until the outbreak is declared over,” he said. He also stressed the importance of avoiding travel or trade restrictions, which could damage Rwanda’s economy. “I would also like to reiterate that, based on the risk assessment, WHO advises against restrictions on travel or trade. These restrictions are unnecessary and can harm Rwanda’s economy. They bring no benefit, only harm. “Most countries have respected that advice, but some have imposed travel restrictions, and we urge them to reverse those measures,” he said.
