A tin mine in Kigali has been identified as the source of Rwanda’s first Marburg virus outbreak, which killed 15 people and infected 51 more in 2024. Authorities traced the infections to one of the mine’s tunnels, where a 10,000-strong colony of Egyptian fruit bats roosts. Rather than closing the mine, the Rwanda Biomedical Center set up onsite screening and segregated the bat-filled tunnel to prevent further “spillover” events. Scientists note that human encroachment on wildlife habitats increases the likelihood of these outbreaks, thus their efforts to ensure as little disturbance of the tunnel as possible. Meanwhile, officials continue researching bat migration patterns and virus shedding to avert future crises.
Source: The Guardian