On Nov. 1, 2024, the World Health Organization reported that as of October 31, 66 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths (CFR: 23%), have been reported in Rwanda. MVD is a highly virulent disease that can cause haemorrhagic fever and is clinically similar to Ebola virus disease.

Among confirmed cases, 68% are males, and 45% are adults between 30 and 39 years of age. Health workers from two health facilities in Kigali account for almost 80% of all confirmed cases. Most cases were reported from the three districts in Kigali city. Contact tracing was ongoing, with 559 contacts listed under follow-up as of October 31, 2024.

Based on available updates from the outbreak investigation, the index case was a male between 20 and 30 years old with a history of exposure to bats in a cave. Seventeen outbreaks of MVD have previously been reported globally. The most recent outbreaks were reported in Equatorial Guinea and the United Republic of Tanzania between February and June 2023.