Rwanda ready to respond to potential Ebola outbreak: official

Rwanda has put in place preventive, surveillance, and treatment measures to respond to any potential Ebola outbreak in the country while safeguarding public health and economic activity, a senior government official said.

Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva made the remarks on Saturday while briefing reporters in Kigali, Rwanda's capital.

"We are confident that we are equipped to protect the lives of our citizens without disrupting socioeconomic activities," he said, urging residents to remain vigilant, ensure hygiene, and report suspected cases.

Speaking at the same press conference, Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana explained that the country has built capacity on five fronts, including communication, surveillance, diagnostic capacity, capacity for contact tracing, and case management with established treatment centers.

He said that although no Ebola cases have been reported in Rwanda, response teams have been activated across various institutions, and public awareness campaigns are underway as authorities closely monitor developments related to the ongoing outbreaks in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Nsanzimana said Rwanda has developed the capacity to detect Ebola virus strains through its laboratory network, and treatment centers are in place with trained personnel conducting simulations on handling patients, infection prevention and control, and other outbreak response measures.

In May, Rwanda announced mandatory quarantine measures for residents arriving from DR Congo and barred entry to foreign travelers who have recently visited or transited through the neighboring country, as authorities stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola virus disease.

The quarantine requirement applies to Rwandan nationals and foreign residents with valid proof of residency in Rwanda who have travelled to or transited through DR Congo within the past 30 days, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health.

The ministry added that foreign nationals who have travelled to or transited through DR Congo within 30 days before their planned travel to Rwanda will be denied entry.

Since the current outbreak was declared on May 15, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the DR Congo has risen to 488, including 86 deaths, according to the latest situation report released Saturday by the country's health ministry.