Addis Ababa.- African Union (AU) experts are being deployed in Tanzania in the face of an outbreak of Marburg virus with a record of eight confirmed cases and five deaths, it was announced today.
According to the official AU website, technicians specializing in rapid response to disease threats will advise the Tanzanian Health Ministry, which had first reported an outbreak of infectious disease (MVD) the day before in Bukoba district, Kagera region (northwest) at this African time country determined.
Three patients are currently being cared for in designated treatment centers. The suspects presented with fever, vomiting and bleeding from various body orifices. The collected samples tested positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at the National Public Health Laboratory.
MVD is a highly fatal zoonotic hemorrhagic disease, and human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or with contaminated equipment, surfaces, and other materials.
The source stated that although there is no approved vaccine or treatment to treat the infection, supportive care improves survival, like the protocols used to prevent and control Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers.
According to official sources in Dar es Salaam, 161 contacts have been identified so far, monitored by health authorities and active case finding and risk communication in affected communities continues.
The Kagera region borders Uganda to the north, Rwanda to the west and Burundi to the south-west, so the high level of population mobility within the region poses a risk of cross-border spread.
The experts (Africa CDC) will support Tanzania and neighboring countries to stop this outbreak as soon as possible.
Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Africa CDC’s Agriculture Director, explained that these emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are a sign that the continent’s health security needs to be strengthened to deal with such threats. (pl)