10 Days From Marburg Outbreak Declaration to Vaccination: A High-Level Timeline

An outbreak that began with ferocious intensity in Rwanda was met with decisive leadership and effective collaboration, resulting in one of the lowest case fatality rates for Marburg virus disease recorded: 23%, significantly below the 50% average. Sabin worked closely with the Rwanda Ministry of Health, BARDA 1, and other collaborators to deliver investigational Marburg vaccines within 9 days of the outbreak declaration. Vaccination of frontline health workers began the following day under an open-label trial sponsored by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre. Over 2,700 vaccine doses were shipped to Kigali during the Marburg outbreak, which ended on December 20, 2024, with 66 cases and 15 deaths.

¹ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority