The Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (Rwanda FDA) has announced that it is aware of a message circulating on social media alleging the presence of paracetamol tablets with “P500” inscriptions containing a deadly virus called Machupo.
In a statement, Rwanda FDA informs the general public that no such type of paracetamol is in circulation on the Rwandan market.
“The information is false and unscientific,” Rwanda FDA said.
Rwanda FDA assures the general public that all medicines are authorized before they are released on the market, and ongoing surveillance is conducted along the supply chain.
Rwanda FDA concludes the statement by stating that it will continue to ensure that medicines available on the Rwandan market comply with quality standards.
The rumors of paracetamol tablets have scared people because the Machupo virus is said to be very bad, and the person infected with it will die badly, with high fever and bleeding from the nose and mouth.
In addition to these basic symptoms, the person infected with the virus has a headache, their muscles are swollen and painful (myalgia), and severe pain in the joints (arthralgia).
In some patients, there are signs of bleeding from the mouth and nose and injuries to the throat, abdomen, and genitals.
Some end up losing the ability to control their muscles and suffer from epilepsy, tremors, etc. Death can occur within hours or days after symptoms appear.
Symptoms may last only a week, followed by another week when the virus is living in the body and growing.
Rwanda FDA’s comments on circulating information about contaminated paracetamol tablets