Tanzania: Authorities confirm Marburg virus cases in Kagera Province in March

Event

Tanzanian health authorities have confirmed the country’s first outbreak of Marburg virus in Bukoba District, Kagera Province, with eight confirmed cases reported Mar. 21. Health authorities have identified and are monitoring a total of 161 contacts. The outbreak was first detected in north-west Kagera when five deaths from an unknown illness were reported to the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. The WHO has deployed an emergency team to affected areas in the Kagera Province to focus on active case finding, tracing contacts, and providing medical care to people showing symptoms of the disease. This represents the most complete data available as of Mar. 22.

Context

Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent disease that is transmitted through close personal contact and exposure to excretions and bodily fluids from infected patients - particularly blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people. Infection can also result from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by fruit bat colonies. Symptoms typically appear 2-21 days after exposure and include severe headache, muscle aches and pains, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea, and vomiting. Many patients develop severe hemorrhagic manifestations (like bloody stool and bleeding from the nose and gums) 5-7 days after the onset of symptoms. In fatal cases, death occurs most often 8-9 days after symptom onset, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock. Severe cases will need to be hospitalized and placed under intensive care to receive frequent intravenous fluids or oral rehydration solutions containing electrolytes. There is currently no Marburg virus vaccine available; however, vaccine candidates are being tested but are likely to only become available in many years.

Advice

Observe strict health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water or with hand sanitizer. Deter from visiting any locations that require prolonged exposure to mines or caves that may be inhabited by fruit bats. Avoid contact with animals and items that may have come in contact with an infected person's blood or bodily fluids.