New CDC Travel Advisory for Rwanda Issued in Response to Ebola-Like Virus

The federal agency elevated its travel advisory to Level 3 for Rwanda on Oct. 7 due to an outbreak of Marburg virus, a disease similar to Ebola. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged people to reconsider nonessential travel to the African country as infections have been confirmed in multiple areas.

For those who must travel to Rwanda, the CDC advises avoiding contact with sick individuals showing symptoms of fever, muscle pain, and rash. They also recommend steering clear of traditional healers, blood, and bodily fluids, as well as refraining from visiting healthcare facilities and participating in funeral or burial rituals.

Prior to this, the agency issued a Level 2 travel notice for Rwanda, encouraging enhanced precautions for travelers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that travelers entering the United States from Rwanda will be screened starting on Oct. 14 to prevent the spread of the Marburg virus.

Rwanda’s health ministry stated that they are screening departing travelers for the virus as well. The country’s first outbreak of the Marburg-like disease was reported in late September, resulting in 58 cases and 13 deaths by Oct. 9. The virus, with a fatality rate as high as 88 percent, is transmitted from fruit bats to humans through bodily fluids.

Rwanda has initiated the administration of vaccine doses against the virus, focusing on high-risk individuals and healthcare workers. While there are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg in the U.S., promising candidates are being developed, including a trial of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine team’s Marburg candidate in the UK.

With officials in Rwanda monitoring around 300 contacts of known cases, the disease has affected healthcare workers and spread across multiple districts. The CDC emphasized the risk of spreading the disease at funerals with close physical contact with the deceased, particularly in traditional burial practices.

In conclusion, the CDC’s travel advisory and precautionary measures aim to prevent the importation and spread of the Marburg virus, highlighting the importance of awareness and preventive actions.



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