NAIROBI, July 1 (Reuters) – Ugandan well being authorities have confirmed an isolated case of Marburg virus illness, a extremely infectious hemorrhagic fever, whereas conducting surveillance for an Ebola outbreak, Africa’s prime public well being company mentioned on Wednesday.
No contacts of the Marburg case have developed signs and there’s at the moment no energetic case within the East African nation, a spokesperson for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention added, citing Ugandan authorities.
A spokesperson for Uganda’s well being ministry mentioned he was not conscious of a Marburg outbreak. The World Health Organization mentioned it had been notified of a case by Uganda on 30 June, and had knowledgeable its member states.
“WHO has requested further information and is supporting the local response, including case investigation, active case finding, contact tracing and community engagement,” a WHO spokesperson mentioned.
Africa CDC mentioned the Marburg case was detected in Kyegegwa district within the west of Uganda, in a 1-1/2-year-old youngster who had died.
“Africa CDC is engaging the Government of Uganda through official public health channels on reports concerning Marburg virus disease. At this stage, we cannot confirm reports of any additional case,” the spokesperson, Saran Koly, mentioned.
“Africa CDC stands ready to support verification, risk assessment and response readiness as needed.”
Uganda’s final Marburg outbreak was in 2017, and it has had three others, the WHO spokesperson mentioned.
Responding to Marburg requires the identical steps as responding to Ebola, they added.
Uganda is already tackling an Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak, linked to the emergency in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. There have been 20 Ebola circumstances in Uganda and two deaths.