CDC screens travelers for Marburg as Ebola-like disease outbreak grows

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

The increased screening will begin the week of October 14 for incoming travelers who have been in Rwanda in the past three weeks, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.

“The risk of Marburg in the United States remains low, but these measures are being taken out of an abundance of caution given the ongoing outbreak in Rwanda,” CDC spokesman David Daigle said in a statement.

Daigle said passengers who were recently in Rwanda will be redirected to one of three airports for screening: O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City or Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC

Passengers will be screened for fever and can expect to be questioned about symptoms and possible exposure to the virus in a post-customs screening area. According to the Rwandan Ministry of Health, all people leaving the country will also be screened for symptoms.

The CDC will also strengthen its warning against visiting Rwanda and is now urging Americans to “reconsider unnecessary travel.”

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

The CDC also issued guidance last week to American nonprofits that have sent health workers to Rwanda, requiring screening for Marburg. The agency “must be consulted” before 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 on Monday, after seven additional infections tested positive.

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

The State Department has urged Americans in the country to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as sudden fever, severe headache or body and back pain.

There are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg, but there are a handful experimental possibilities were tested previous outbreaks.

The Sabin Vaccine Institute said Saturday that 700 doses of its vaccine had arrived in Rwanda for a “test against frontline workers” and that more shots were ready for delivery pending action by officials in Rwanda and the United States