Marburg virus

As of 22 March, a total of eight cases, including five deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR]: 62.5%) have been reported from two villages in Bukoba district, Kagera ...

In the West African region, an outbreak of MVD was declared on 13 February 2023 in Equatorial Guinea and is ongoing. In addition, Marburg virus has been isolated from fruit bats (Roussettus aegyptiacus) in Tanzania and countries neighboring the affected Kagera region, therefore, the same bat species may carry the virus in this region. The affected region, Kagera, borders three countries (Uganda to the north, and Rwanda and Burundi to the west) and Lake Victoria, and cross-border population movements may increase the risk of disease spread. Contact tracing activities have been implemented to monitor people with similar symptoms in the community and at health facilities, including contacts of the known cases. On 21 March 2023, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the United Republic of Tanzania declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country. [Disease outbreak news published on 22 March](https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON449)), so far there is no evidence of an epidemiological link between the two outbreaks. It is caused by the same family of viruses (Filoviridae) as Ebola virus disease and is clinically similar. Clinical diagnosis of MVD is difficult in the early phase as symptoms are similar to other febrile illnesses. Once an individual is infected with the virus, it can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with the blood, secretions or other body fluids of infected or deceased people. This is the first Marburg virus disease outbreak reported in the country. On 21 March 2023, the MoH officially declared the first MVD outbreak in the country. As response measures, Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to investigate and implement interventions in the affected areas, including contact tracing and risk communication activities.

The African country of Tanzania reported its first-ever outbreak of Marburg disease, which has so far resulted in eight total cases and five deaths.

"As a ministry, we are to embark on mass media sensitization of the public just like we did during the COVID-19 pandemic," Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, ...

Tanzania’s outbreak coincides with cases in the West African state of Equatorial Guinea. There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus. "There are many crossing points between Uganda and Tanzania and many people usually travel freely and their travels aren't documented.

The African country of Tanzania reported its first-ever outbreak of Marburg disease, which has so far resulted in eight total cases and five deaths.

Marburg virus disease (MVD), earlier known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal hemorrhagic fever, according to the WHO.

We are working with the government to rapidly scale up control measures to halt the spread of the virus and end the outbreak as soon as possible,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a statement. “We urge members of the public to continue sharing information in a timely manner with the authorities to enable a most effective response.” The disease has an average fatality rate of around 50%. Around the third day, patients report abdominal pain, vomiting, severe watery diarrhoea and cramping. However, African green monkeys imported from Uganda were the source of the first human infection, the WHO points out. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 161 people have been identified as at risk of infection through contact tracing and are currently being monitored.

Uganda's health minister Dr Ruth Aceng and other officials inspect Mutukula border on March 25, 2023 to check the country's readiness to fight Marburg virus ...

The World Health Organisation and the US Centres for Disease Control say preventive measures against Marburg virus infection are not well defined as transmission from wildlife to people remains an area of ongoing research. Let us do more sensitisation because the porous borders are hard to protect,” Dr Aceng said while inspecting Mutukula border post on Friday following the outbreak in Tanzania. - Marburg virus incidents in Tanzania have prompted health authorities in neighboring Uganda to be on high alert.

DAR ES SALAAM, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian health authorities said late Saturday an outbreak of Marburg viral disease (MVD) that has killed five people ...

The MVD is under control," Ummy Mwalimu, the Minister for Health, told a news conference in Bukoba municipality. Kagera region where the MVD was reported is located in northwestern Tanzania and is bordered by Uganda to the north, Rwanda to the west and Burundi to the southwest. Mwalimu said she visited Bukoba district accompanied by high-ranking officials with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) and they were satisfied that the disease was under control after the government in collaboration with WHO had taken response measures.