Scientists in Pittsburgh work to prevent next pandemic

In response to an unprecedented outbreak of Marburg virus in Rwanda, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now plan to screen arriving international travelers for their risk of bringing the deadly Ebola-like disease into the country. 

The stepped-up screenings will start the week of Oct. 14 for arriving travelers who have been in Rwanda during the past three weeks, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday. 

“The risk of Marburg in the U.S. remains low, however, these measures are being taken out of an abundance of caution given the ongoing outbreak in Rwanda,” CDC spokesperson David Daigle said in a statement.

Daigle said passengers who have recently been in Rwanda will be rerouted for screening at one of three airports: O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City or Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.

Passengers will have their fevers checked and should expect to be asked about symptoms and potential exposures to the virus, in an area set aside for the screenings after customs. Everyone flying out of the country is also being screened for symptoms, Rwanda’s health ministry says.

The CDC will also escalate its warning about visiting Rwanda, now calling for Americans “to reconsider nonessential travel.” 

In an advisory last week about the “high mortality rate” disease, the agency said the risk of the virus to the U.S. was “low” but urged doctors to be on the lookout for potential cases. 

The CDC also issued guidance last week to American nonprofits that have deployed healthcare workers to Rwanda, urging screening for Marburg. The agency “must be consulted” prior to allowing doctors and nurses with risky exposures or symptoms to return, the CDC said.

At least 56 confirmed cases of Marburg have now been diagnosed in Rwanda, the country’s health ministry said Monday, after seven more infections tested positive. 

A dozen deaths have been linked to the disease. Many of the confirmed infections have been in healthcare workers, the CDC said. 

The State Department has urged Americans in the country to seek medical care immediately if they notice symptoms like sudden fever, severe headache or body and back aches. 

While there are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, a handful of experimental options have been tested in previous outbreaks. 

The Sabin Vaccine Institute said Saturday that 700 doses of its vaccine had arrived in Rwanda for a “trial targeting frontline workers,” with additional shots ready to be delivered pending moves by officials in Rwanda and the U.S.