In a recent World Health Organization (WHO) news release dated Nov. 15 on the Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in Uganda, officials said of the outbreak that was officially declared on Oct. 19–

Uganda/CIA
Uganda/CIA

Contact follow-up is ongoing in Kween for the 56 contacts, while In Kapchorwa District, all the listed contacts have completed the 21 days follow-up period. All remaining contacts are expected to complete 21 days of follow up on 16 November 2017. Enhanced surveillance activities will continue until 7 December 2017.

Great news.

Then this Uganda Radio Network report was published (picked up by ProMED Mail), which reports on a suspected MVD case in a Moroto district teen. The 16-year-old was reportedly “bleeding and vomiting blood” before she died.

Moroto District Health Officer Andrew Rews Ilukol says that blood samples have been taken for testing at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe to establish the cause of bleeding and death of the minor. As of this report, the case has not been confirmed and they are still awaiting results.

Moroto district is on the far eastern side of Uganda, essentially across the country from Kween district, where the outbreak was declared.

WHO reports:

On 17 October 2017, the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MoH) notified WHO of a confirmed outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease in Kween District, Eastern Uganda. The MoH officially declared the outbreak on 19 October 2017. As of 14 November, three cases have been reported including two confirmed cases, and one probable case. All three cases have died, resulting in a case fatality rate of 100%. The cases were epidemiologically linked and all belong to the same family.

Marburg virus in Uganda: Should we be concerned?