NewsDesk @bactiman63
The World Health Organization released the following situation updates on the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreaks simultaneously in the African countries of Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania:
Equatorial Guinea
Since the declaration of the outbreak on 13 February 2023, a total of 17 laboratory-confirmed cases of MVD and 23 probable cases have been reported as of 1 May. Among laboratory-confirmed cases, 12 deaths were recorded (CFR 75%). For one confirmed case, the outcome of the illness is unknown. All probable cases are dead. Five districts (Bata, Ebebiyin, Evinayong, Nsok Nsomo and Nsork) in four of the country’s eight provinces (Centro Sur, Kié-Ntem, Litoral and Wele-Nzas) have reported confirmed or probable cases. The most affected district is Bata in Litoral province, with 11 laboratory-confirmed MVD cases reported.
Among the confirmed cases, four have recovered and five have been reported among healthcare workers, of whom two died.
Among the reported cases, many are linked within a social network/gathering or by geographic proximity, however, the earlier presence of cases and/or clusters across multiple districts without clear epidemiologic links may indicate undetected virus transmission.
There are currently no confirmed cases in the Marburg treatment centre following the most recent discharge of a patient on 26 April 2023. This brings the total of survivors to four since the outbreak was declared.
In the last 21 days (from 11 April to 1 May 2023), two confirmed cases were reported from Bata district. These cases had a known epidemiological link to a confirmed case, through a family cluster or through a healthcare setting.
Tanzania
Image/CDC
Since the declaration of the MVD outbreak on 21 March 2023, a total of nine cases (eight laboratory-confirmed and one probable case) have been reported as of 30 April 2023. Among the total cases, six deaths were recorded (CFR 66.7%). Among the confirmed cases, three have recovered, and two have been reported among healthcare workers, one of whom died.
In the last 21 days, from 10 to 30 April, one confirmed case was reported on 11 April. This case was the mother of a previously reported MVD case, a child of 18 months old, who died on the same day. The mother was quarantined as soon as MVD was detected in the child in March. No further contacts linked to this case have been reported. There are currently no confirmed cases in the treatment centre in Bukoba following the discharge of the confirmed patient on 21 April 2023. This brings the total of survivors to three since the outbreak was declared.
All cases are reported from Bukoba district in Kagera Region.
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