Marburg virus: Should UK travellers be worried about the disease?

All passengers departing Rwanda will be asked to complete a symptom screening questionnaire

A Marburg virus outbreak was declared in Rwanda on 27 September (Getty Images)

Since Rwanda’s first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak was declared on 27 September, tourists headed for the country in central Africa may have heightened concerns about the safety of their travel plans.

As of 16 October, figures from the Ministry of Health show 15 deaths from 62 confirmed cases of Marburgvirus in Rwanda.

Marburg virus, a disease that can cause fatal haemorrhagic fever, is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and has a fatality rate as high as 88 per cent.

The highly contagious virus is most commonly spread in healthcare settings through close and direct contact with body fluids or an infected case.

Common symptoms include a fever, severe headaches, muscle ache, vomiting and diarrhoea and can appear up to 21 days from the date of exposure.

Here’s everything prospective travellers need to know to safely visit Rwanda amid the Marburg virus outbreak.

What is Foreign Office travel advice for Rwanda?

Generally, the UK Foreign Office does not advise against travel to Rwanda.

The FCDO said on 1 October: “The Rwandan Ministry of Health has issued a public update that Marburg virus disease has been confirmed in health facilities in the country. We understand it is present in hospitals in Kigali. Investigations are being carried out to determine the origin of the infection.

“The Rwandan Ministry of Health has issued advice on avoiding close contact with symptomatic people, practising enhanced hygiene measures, and the symptoms of Marburg virus disease [MVD] to look out for.

“To prevent the spread of MVD, all travellers departing Rwanda are asked to complete a symptom-screening questionnaire in advance of exiting the country.”

What does the World Health Organisation (WHO) say?

WHO representative Dr Brian Chirombo said: “WHO is actively collaborating with Rwanda Health to strengthen outbreak containment measures, support research into vaccines and therapeutics and provide the necessary supplies and expertise to end the Marburg outbreak.”

What preventative measures are being taken?

The Rwandan Ministry of Health said that all passengers departing the country will be asked to complete a “short symptom screening questionnaire with RBC staff to ensure their wellbeing and the safety of others”.

The national carrier, RwandAir, is telling all passengers: “Anyone leaving Rwanda is required to monitor for MVD symptoms, including fever, severe headaches, muscle ache, vomiting and diarrhoea, before departing from Rwanda and seek medical advice immediately if they experience these symptoms.

“If you’ve been in contact with a confirmed case of Marburg, you cannot travel until 21 days after your exposure provided you are symptom-free.”

To prevent the spread of MVD, all travellers departing Rwanda are asked to complete a symptom-screening questionnaire in advance of exiting the country.

A public notice from the Rwanda Development Board on 4 October said that Rwanda remains open to travellers.

“There are currently no travel restrictions in place, and all key tourist destinations, including Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Gishwati Mukura National Park and Nyungwe National Park, are fully operational,” they said.

Hand sanitising stations, temperature checks, and heightened cleaning procedures at hotels, restaurants and border crossings are among the “strict hygiene protocols” being followed.

Tourists are advised to remain vigilant and practise good personal hygiene, such as avoiding close contact with individuals displaying symptoms.

Rwandan authorities have also restricted funeral sizes to just 50 people under new guidelines to stop the disease from spreading.

What action is the US taking?

Anyone who has visited the central African country in the past 21 days can only arrive in the US at one of three international airports: New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare or Washington Dulles. Special screening facilities are in place at these airports.

A flight to the US might be ordered to divert if a passenger is identified as having been in Rwanda in the past three weeks

Is there a vaccine for Marburg virus?

There is currently no licensed vaccine to treat Marburg virus.

On 6 October, health minister Sabin Nsanzimana said Rwanda had begun vaccine trials after receiving 700 doses from the Sabin Vaccine Institute, a US-based non-profit organisation, which will be distributed to doctors and hospital workers over 18.

Should travellers be worried about Marburg virus?

Dr Richard Dawood, medical director and specialist in travel medicine at Fleet Street Clinic, told The Independent that there is a “balance to be struck between generating knowledge for a public health response and scaring people who are going travelling”.

Dr Dawood advised those returning from Rwanda to look out for symptoms if they have been in contact with someone unwell but emphasised that he wouldn’t restrict travel based on Marburg concerns.

“I would expect this to be a fairly short-lived outbreak.

He added: “Now that it is known that there is an outbreak in progress, it should be fairly straightforward to bring under control by isolating people with symptoms.”

Significantly, those infected with the Marburg virus would need to be symptomatic to spread the infection.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) introduced a returning workers scheme in 2014 to monitor the health of those who travel to Ebola and Marburg-affected areas for work while there is an active outbreak.

According to Dr Dawood, anyone who returns home from Rwanda with an illness should report it, but tropical diseases such as malaria are “far more common in a traveller returning from central Africa”.

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