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The Ministry of Health confirmed in a statement on Sunday night that two more deaths had been recorded since the last update on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases in the country remains at 26. The number of patients in isolation and receiving treatment is 18.

Rwanda confirmed its first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak on Friday, September 27, 2024, stating that cases had been identified among patients in health facilities across the country.

The government has since announced enhanced measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including contact tracing and testing.

Earlier on Sunday, Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said the government had identified approximately 300 people who had contact with infected individuals, all of whom are being tested to determine whether they are infected.

“We have many contacts, and the number continues to grow as we trace them. Nearly 300 people have been identified so far, and that number may increase because the interactions vary. They might have had casual contact, such as greeting each other, or closer contact, like caring for or being a patient,” Minister Nsanzimana added.

The contacts include both those who live with the infected and others from different areas.

The minister urged the public to stay calm and continue their daily activities as usual, reassuring them that the measures being taken to combat the MVD outbreak are promising.

Addressing the media on Sunday, September 29, 2024, Minister Nsanzimana said the Marburg virus is not as alarming as COVID-19 and stressed that there is no need for panic. Instead, he emphasized the importance of maintaining good hygiene, avoiding physical contact, and refraining from touching bodily fluids of those suspected of having the virus.

“People should continue with their lives and work as usual. So far, in the initial three days of contact tracing, we’ve made good progress, and it doesn’t warrant halting daily activities,” Minister Nsanzimana stated.

Dr. Nsanzimana affirmed that Rwanda is well-prepared for the outbreak, given the country’s experience in handling various past epidemics.

“We are always prepared. It is extremely difficult to prevent an outbreak before it happens. Globally, no one can guarantee stopping every outbreak, but the way we prepare ensures that when it occurs, we quickly identify and respond to it before it spreads further. That is what we are doing now,” he added.

“We are confident that within a short period, we will have made significant progress in controlling this outbreak. That’s our goal, as similar outbreaks in other regions didn’t last long, typically two or three months at most. Such outbreaks tend to be fatal, but the challenge is detecting and identifying them early, after which the key is to act swiftly to contain them.”

Wycliffe Nyamasege

The Ministry confirmed the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda on Friday, September 27, 2024. So far, 26 cases, including six fatalities, have been confirmed.

Addressing the media on Sunday, September 29, 2024, Minister Nsanzimana said the Marburg virus is not as alarming as COVID-19 and stressed that there is no need for panic. Instead, he emphasized the importance of maintaining good hygiene, avoiding physical contact, and refraining from touching bodily fluids of those suspected of having the virus.

“People should continue with their lives and work as usual. So far, in the initial three days of contact tracing, we’ve made good progress, and it doesn’t warrant halting daily activities,” Minister Nsanzimana stated.

Dr. Nsanzimana affirmed that Rwanda is well-prepared for the outbreak, given the country’s experience in handling various past epidemics.

“We are always prepared. It is extremely difficult to prevent an outbreak before it happens. Globally, no one can guarantee stopping every outbreak, but the way we prepare ensures that when it occurs, we quickly identify and respond to it before it spreads further. That is what we are doing now,” he added.

“We are confident that within a short period, we will have made significant progress in controlling this outbreak. That’s our goal, as similar outbreaks in other regions didn’t last long, typically two or three months at most. Such outbreaks tend to be fatal, but the challenge is detecting and identifying them early, after which the key is to act swiftly to contain them.”

The Ministry of Health has identified approximately 300 people who had contact with infected individuals, all of whom are being tested to determine whether they are infected.

“We have many contacts, and the number continues to grow as we trace them. Nearly 300 people have been identified so far, and that number may increase because the interactions vary. They might have had casual contact, such as greeting each other, or closer contact, like caring for or being a patient,” Minister Nsanzimana added.

The contacts include both those who live with the infected and others from different areas. The cost of treating and caring for all those affected is being covered by the government.

The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Rwanda announced that it would be sending supplies to support Rwanda’s efforts to combat the Marburg virus and ensure that responses reach as many people as possible swiftly.

Additionally, seven international experts specializing in contagious diseases, including Marburg, are being dispatched to Rwanda to join the larger team fighting the outbreak.

Symptoms of Marburg include high fever, severe headaches, often accompanied by body weakness and muscle pain. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea are also common.

Preventive measures include avoiding contact with infected individuals and enhancing hygiene practices.

Addressing the media on Sunday, September 29, 2024, Minister Nsanzimana said the Marburg virus is not as alarming as COVID-19 and stressed that there is no need for panic.

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Gachagua was elected to office on a joint ticket with President William Ruto in August 2022, but differences with the Head of State and Members of Parliament allied to the ruling party are threatening his premature exit from government.

The Deputy President faces accusations of undermining Ruto’s leadership and causing divisions within the ruling administration. Some of the President’s allies accuse Gachagua of being behind the youth-led anti-tax protests witnessed in the country in June. Already, three members of his staff and two MPs close to him are facing prosecution following the conclusion of a probe by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Ruto’s allies in the National Assembly confirmed to local media that more than 300 MPs had signed a motion to impeach Kenya’s second in command as of Saturday, September 28, 2024.

The signatures, which had largely remained secret over the past few weeks, were reportedly collected by regional caucus whips, who have been holding night meetings to reach a common position.

“There is a stampede; members are moving to sign the motion…It is a matter of when, not if, the motion will be tabled,” Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro told Kenya’s Citizen TV.

The motion is expected to be tabled in the House on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, for consideration.

To impeach a Deputy President in Kenya, an impeachment motion must be signed by at least 117 MPs before being introduced in the National Assembly. Once tabled in the House, the motion must garner the support of 233 MPs, representing two-thirds of the total 349 MPs, before being transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

The Constitution of Kenya (2010) stipulates that to impeach a Deputy President, the proponents must present watertight grounds, including gross violations of the Constitution or any other law, crimes under national or international law, and gross misconduct.

Gachagua, who brought in significant votes for Ruto from Kenya’s central region, also known as Mt. Kenya—which has produced three of Kenya’s five Presidents—insists that he is clean. He has been traversing the region, cautioning President Ruto against allowing the impeachment plot, saying that doing so would betray the electorate.

“Let us not reintroduce the politics of betrayal,” Gachagua stated recently. “Ruto is a beneficiary of Mt. Kenya’s disdain for betrayal. Our people hate it and are unforgiving.”

President Ruto is yet to publicly comment on the matter. He is currently attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (left) was elected to office on a joint ticket with President William Ruto in August 2022.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

In the wake of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's killing, Hezbollah faces the enormous challenge of plugging the infiltration in its ranks that allowed its arch enemy Israel to destroy weapons sites, booby-trap its communications and assassinate the veteran leader, whose whereabouts had been a closely guarded secret for years.

Nasrallah's killing in a command HQ on Friday came barely a week after Israel's deadly detonation of hundreds of booby-trapped pagers and radios. It was the culmination of a rapid succession of strikes that have eliminated half of Hezbollah's leadership council and decimated its top military command.

In the days before and hours after Nasrallah's killing, Reuters spoke to more than a dozen sources in Lebanon, Israel, Iran and Syria who provided details of the damage Israel has wrought on the powerful Shi'ite paramilitary group, including to its supply lines and command structure. All asked for anonymity to speak about sensitive matters.

One source familiar with Israeli thinking told Reuters, less than 24 hours before the strike, that Israel has spent 20 years focusing intelligence efforts on Hezbollah and could hit Nasrallah when it wanted, including in the headquarters.

The person called the intelligence 'brilliant,' without providing details.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his close circle of ministers authorized the attack on Wednesday, two Israeli officials told Reuters. The attack took place while Netanyahu was in New York to speak at the U.N. General Assembly.

Nasrallah had avoided public appearances since a previous 2006 war. He had long been vigilant, his movements were restricted and the circle of people he saw was very small, according to a source familiar with Nasrallah's security arrangements. The assassination suggested his group had been infiltrated by informants for Israel, the source said.

The Hezbollah leader had been even more cautious than usual since the Sept. 17 pager blasts, out of concern Israel would try to kill him, a security source familiar with the group's thinking told Reuters a week ago, citing his absence from a commanders' funeral and his pre-recording of a speech broadcast a few days before.

Hezbollah's media office did not respond to a request for comment for this story. U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday called Nasrallah's killing 'a measure of justice' for his many victims, and said the United States fully supported Israel's right to defend itself against Iranian-backed groups.

Israel says it carried out the hit on Nasrallah by dropping bombs on the underground headquarters below a residential building in southern Beirut.

'This is a massive blow and intelligence failure for Hezbollah,' Magnus Ranstorp, a veteran Hezbollah expert at the Swedish Defence University. 'They knew that he was meeting. He was meeting with other commanders. And they just went for him.'

Including Nasrallah, Israel's military says it has killed eight of Hezbollah's nine most senior military commanders this year, mostly in the past week. These commanders led units ranging from the rocket division to the elite Radwan force.

Around 1,500 Hezbollah fighters were maimed by the exploding pagers and walkie talkies on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18.

On Saturday, Israel's military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters in a briefing that the military had 'real-time' knowledge that Nasrallah and other leaders were gathering. Shoshani did not say how they knew, but said the leaders were meeting to plan attacks on Israel.

Brigadier General Amichai Levin, commander of Israel's Hatzerim Airbase, told reporters that dozens of munitions hit the target within seconds.

'The operation was complex and was planned for a long time,' according to Levin.

Hezbollah has shown the ability to replace commanders quickly, and Nasrallah's cousin Hashem Safieddine, also a cleric who wears the black turban denoting descent from Islam's Prophet Mohammed, has long been tipped as his successor.

'You kill one, they get a new one,' said a European diplomat of the group's approach.

The group, whose name means Party of God, will fight on: by U.S. and Israeli estimates it had some 40,000 fighters ahead of the current escalation, along with large weapons stockpiles and an extensive tunnel network near Israel's border.

Founded in Tehran in 1982, the Shi'ite paramilitary outfit is the most formidable member of Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance of anti-Israel allied irregular forces, and a significant regional player in its own right.

But it has been materially and psychologically weakened over the past 10 days.

Thanks to decades of backing from Iran, prior to the current conflict Hezbollah was among the world's most well-armed non-conventional armies, with an arsenal of 150,000 rockets, missiles and drones, according to U.S. estimates.

That is ten times the size of the armoury the group had in 2006, during its last war with Israel, according to Israeli estimates.

Over the past year, even more weapons have flowed into Lebanon from Iran, along with significant amounts of financial aid, a source familiar with Hezbollah's thinking said.

There have been few detailed public assessments of how much this arsenal has been damaged by Israel's offensive over the past week, which has hit Hezbollah strongholds in Bekaa Valley, far from Lebanon's border with Israel.

One Western diplomat in the Middle East told Reuters prior to Friday's attack that Hezbollah had lost 20%-25% of its missile capacity in the ongoing conflict, including in hundreds of Israeli strikes this week. The diplomat did not provide evidence or details of their assessment.

An Israeli security official said 'a very respectable portion' of Hezbollah's missile stocks had been destroyed, without giving further specifics.

In recent days, Israel has struck more than 1,000 Hezbollah targets. The security official, when asked about the military's extensive target lists, said Israel had matched Hezbollah's two-decade build up with preparations to prevent it launching its rockets in the first place — a complement to the Iron Dome air defence system that often downs missiles fired at the Jewish state.

Israeli officials say the fact that Hezbollah has only been able to launch a couple of hundred missiles a day in the past week was evidence its capabilities had been diminished.

Before the strike on Nasrallah, three Iranian sources told Reuters Iran was planning to send additional missiles to Hezbollah to prepare for a prolonged war.

The weapons that were to be provided included short-to-medium-range ballistic missiles including Iranian Zelzals and an upgraded precision version known as the Fateh 110, the first Iranian source said.

Reuters was unable to reach the sources after the Nasrallah assassination.

While Iran is willing to provide military support, the two Iranian sources said it does not want to be directly involved in a confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel. The rapid escalation in hostilities over the past week follows a year of skirmishes tied to the Gaza war.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards' deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in the Israeli strikes on Beirut on Friday, Iranian media reported on Saturday, citing a state TV report.

Hezbollah may need certain warheads and missiles along with drones and missile parts to replenish those destroyed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon last week, a senior Syrian military intelligence source added.

Iranian supplies have in the past reached Hezbollah by air and sea. On Saturday, Lebanon's transport ministry told an Iranian aircraft not to enter its airspace after Israel warned air traffic control at Beirut airport that it would use 'force' if the plane landed, a source at the ministry told Reuters.

The source said it was not clear what was on the plane.

Land corridors are currently the best route for missiles, parts and drones, through Iraq and Syria, with the help of allied armed groups in those countries, an Iranian security official told Reuters this week.

The Syrian military source, however, said Israeli drone surveillance and strikes targeting convoys of trucks had compromised that route. This year, Israel stepped up attacks on weapons depots and supply routes in Syria to weaken Hezbollah ahead of any war, Reuters reported in June.

As recently as August, an Israeli drone hit weapons concealed in commercial trailers in Syria, the source said. This week, Israel's military said its warplanes bombed unspecified infrastructure used to transfer weapons to Hezbollah at the Syria-Lebanon border.

Joseph Votel, a former army general who led U.S. forces in the Middle East, said Israel and its allies could well intercept any missiles Iran sent by land to Hezbollah now.

'That might be a risk they're willing to take, frankly,' he said.

Additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Jerusalem, Laila Bassam in Beirut and Phil Stewart in Washington; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Daniel Flynn.

In a health alert posted on its website, the U.S. government stated that the decision, which will take effect from Monday, September 30 to Friday, October 4, 2024, was made out of an abundance of caution as the government assesses the severity of the MVD outbreak.

The suspended services include American Citizen Services and visa interviews.

At the same time, the embassy noted that its staff members in Kigali have been authorized to work remotely during this period.

'The Government of Rwanda has confirmed cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in health facilities in Rwanda. Out of an abundance of caution as we learn the scope and severity of the MVD outbreak, the U.S. Embassy in Kigali is authorizing its employees to work remotely from September 30 to October 4, 2024,' the embassy stated.

“All in-person services at the U.S. Embassy during this period will be suspended, including American Citizen Services and visa interviews.”

The Government of Rwanda confirmed the outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) on Friday, September 27, 2024, stating that cases had been identified among patients in health facilities across the country. The government announced enhanced measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including contact tracing and testing.

On Saturday, September 28, 2024, the Ministry of Health revealed that a total of 26 cases had been confirmed in the country, including six deaths. The ministry urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, vomiting, muscle aches, and stomach pain to call the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) at the toll-free number 114 or visit the nearest health facility.

The Marburg virus spreads from person to person through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces or materials, such as bedding and clothing. This transmission can occur through broken skin or mucous membranes, such as those found in the eyes, nose, or mouth.

Preventive measures include avoiding contact with infected individuals, practicing good hygiene, wearing protective clothing when caring for someone infected or working in a high-risk environment, and avoiding contact with infected animals, especially fruit bats and non-human primates. Humans are also advised to avoid touching or consuming bushmeat.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

It is impossible to discuss tourism without mentioning hotels, as after visiting the natural attractions of a given country, tourists need an adorable place to rest and receive excellent services.

In Rwanda, this has been a key focus, as in the last five years, the country had only 10,000 rooms, which means that in less than 60 months, 15,000 additional rooms have been established.

Yves Ngenzi, the Director of the Tourism Department at PSF, stated that this is a significant step forward in increasing the number of hotels that accommodate tourists visiting Rwanda.

'These are just rooms for sleeping. There are many others which provide other services such as dining facilities. The growth is impressive and we count hotel rooms to assess our progress,' he said.

Ngenzi also revealed that they are working hard to ensure that within the next five years, Rwanda will have 35,000 hotel rooms. Last year, tourism brought in $620 million for Rwanda.

As part of the second phase of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), it is projected that by 2029, tourism will generate $1.1 billion for the country.

The Director of the Tourism Department at the Private Sector Federation, Yves Ngenzi, stated that the number of hotel rooms in Rwanda has reached 25,000.

“This clearly shows that we need to expand our infrastructure, increase the number of hotels, improve our services, and attract more conferences, among other things. That is why we are committed to adding 10,000 more hotel rooms in the next five years,' he said.

Currently, the Tourism Department has registered 1,360 businesses and seven different tourism associations. This is a substantial number compared to five years ago when there were only about 450 businesses.
Ngenzi also highlighted that many others have not yet registered with PSF’s tourism department.

“This is a growing sector. Tourism used to be underestimated, but if you look at the revenue it generates, it’s significant. Currently, tourism has created 165,000 jobs when we consider those directly involved,” he said.

According to him, this is a considerable number of jobs, accounting for 10% of all new jobs created in the country, excluding agriculture and livestock.

Besides adding 10,000 more hotel rooms, Ngenzi explained that within the next five years, they will make efforts to boost local production to achieve the country’s goal of increasing tourism revenues by 13% annually and raising private sector investment to $4.6 billion by 2029, up from $2.2 billion in 2024.

Ngenzi said that this will go hand in hand with promoting conference tourism, religious tourism, and increasing the number of tourist attractions, so that the money tourists spend in Rwanda continues to grow.

When asked about domestic tourism, which helps the sector remain stable even when the number of international tourists decreases, Ngenzi said that it is doing well, but it is not yet at the required level.

'For example, visiting the gorillas costs $1,500 for foreigners. Few Rwandans can afford that. There are lower prices for Rwandans, but the revenue we want to generate won’t be achievable without foreign tourists. That’s why we are looking to attract more Africans to visit Rwanda,' he explained.

'These initiatives will also include building capacity for those in the sector, particularly in terms of knowledge, with students gaining internships, as we have seen that 30% of those who receive internships secure jobs,' he added.

These initiatives will also focus on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which play a significant role in the sector’s growth. For example, 80% of businesses offering tourism services in Rwanda are SMEs, showing the importance of closely monitoring this category.

The Director of the Tourism Department at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Michaella Rugwizangoga, speaking to participants at the International Tourism Day event.

On her part, Michaella Rugwizangoga, the Director of the Tourism Department at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), mentioned that as Rwanda’s tourism industry grows, so does the well-being of Rwandans, especially those living near tourist sites.

'We have a plan to share tourism revenues with the local communities, where 10% of the ticket value for visiting parks goes to projects like road construction, hospitals, schools, and others. This 10% is not tax but a portion of the revenue generated from visits to natural attractions.'

She mentioned that so far, 1,000 projects have been supported, and over Rwf 12 billion has been given to local communities, stressing that this will continue as the sector develops.

Statistics show that over 1.4 million people visited Rwanda in 2023, and this number is expected to double by 2029, with more destinations being added by RwandAir.

Ngabo Karegeya, famous as the founder of a cattle-based tourism company called Ibere rya Bigogwe Tourism Company Ltd, was also among those who spoke on how Rwanda’s tourism can be developed.

Various leaders involved in tourism attended the dedicated day event

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