Rwanda’s Marburg Outbreak: Africa CDC Director General Slams US Travel Notice as Unfair and Unacceptable
The Director General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, has strongly criticized the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (US-CDC) decision to issue a level 3 travel notice to Rwanda due to the ongoing Marburg outbreak. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the AfCFTA Business Forum in Kigali, Dr. Kaseya described the move as "unfair and unacceptable," particularly given Rwanda’s efforts to contain the outbreak.
The US-CDC issued the travel notice on Monday, October 8, citing the confirmation of Marburg infections in several districts across the country. The agency advised travelers to reconsider nonessential travel to Rwanda, effective immediately. However, Dr. Kaseya argued that the decision is not evidence-based and ignores the country’s robust response to the outbreak.
Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, had previously clarified that all reported cases are linked to a hospital cluster, with no community transmission. Dr. Kaseya commended the Ministry of Health for its efforts to control the outbreak, stating that there is nothing more that can be done that Rwanda is not already doing.
The Africa CDC Director General also used the opportunity to call for the fast-tracking of vaccine manufacturing on the continent. He expressed frustration with the continent’s reliance on external sources for vaccines, saying, "We are tired of panicking every time there is an outbreak because we have to beg for vaccines." Dr. Kaseya emphasized the need for the continent to take the decision to start manufacturing vaccines, adding that no effort will be spared to change the current outbreak status by the end of October.
The Marburg outbreak in Rwanda has sparked concerns about the spread of the disease, which is a rare and deadly viral hemorrhagic fever. The US-CDC’s travel notice has raised questions about the effectiveness of the agency’s response to the outbreak and the potential impact on international travel to the region.