The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) will issue its second-highest level of travel notice for Rwanda, recommending people to avoid nonessential travel due to the Marburg disease outbreak in the east African country, the U.S. government said on Monday, Reuters reported.
The CDC will start screening for travelers entering the United States who have been in Rwanda in the past 21 days, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
As of now, the US CDC has not released any official statement.
"On October 7, CDC will issue a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Rwanda, which includes recommendation for people traveling to Rwanda to reconsider nonessential travel," the US Department of Health and Human Services said on Monday. "Starting the week of October 7, CDC will have health messages posted at the international arrival areas in three airports receiving travelers from Rwanda," it added.
"Starting the week of October 14, CDC will begin public health entry screening of travelers entering the United States who have been in Rwanda in the past 21 days. This screening aims to reduce the risk of importation of Marburg cases into the United States and the spread within U.S. communities," the official statement said.
Has there been any Marburg cases in the US?
"To date, no cases of Marburg virus disease related to this outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the anticipated risk of Marburg virus disease to the general population in the United States is low," the US CDC had said in an official statement released on September 30.
Marburg virus disease is a rare, severe viral hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, which is spread in several countries in Africa by certain types of bats. It can cause deadly infections in people. The virus can also spread from person-to-person through direct contact with people who are sick. Healthcare workers in outbreak settings are at an increased risk of infection. Symptoms can appear suddenly and may include fever, rash, and severe bleeding.
