Airport Screening for Marburg Disease Starts

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced yesterday that international travelers should reconsider nonessential travel to the Republic of Rwanda, which is experiencing an outbreak of Marburg virus disease.

As of October 8, 2024, Rwanda's Health Ministry posted on X that there have been 58 MVD cases and 13 related fatalities over the past month.

Rwanda has been screening departing travelers to reduce the global outbreak risk. 

Starting the week of October 14, 2024, the U.S. will begin public health entry screening of travelers entering the U.S. who have been in Rwanda in the past 21 days. This screening will be conducted at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, and the Washington, DC Dulles International Airport.

"This screening aims to reduce the risk of importation of Marburg cases into the United States and the spread within U.S. communities," announced HHS in a statement. When passengers arrive at one of these airports, they will meet with CDC staff for an assessment.

The CDC says Marburg is a viral hemorrhagic fever, with symptoms including fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, rash, chest pain, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.

There are no approved vaccines for Marburg, but various clinical trials are ongoing. Recently, 700 experimental Marburg vaccines were sent to Rwanda for testing.