Uganda reports Marburg virus cases amid ongoing Ebola outbreak
Uganda notified the World Health Organization of two confirmed Marburg cases, prompting a U.S. travel advisory while the country continues to manage a concurrent Ebola outbreak.
Uganda informed the World Health Organization on Tuesday that it has identified two confirmed cases of Marburg virus in its western region, a development that adds complexity to the nation’s response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the third-largest on record in Central Africa. The U.S. embassy in Kampala issued a level-4 health alert on Monday, advising Americans not to travel to Uganda after learning of the possible Marburg cases.
The WHO confirmed that the notification, transmitted through a secure disease-sharing network under the International Health Regulations, cited two cases and said it will continue to update member states as more information becomes available.
"We continue to request further information, and once this is received from Ugandan health authorities, we will continue to update Member States, and the wider public," the WHO said.
Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases director Nahid Bhadelia noted that the embassy’s alert suggests the situation is more certain than previously indicated.
"The embassy releasing this does make me feel like this is something that is a bit more confirmed," she said.
Marburg, a filovirus related to Ebola, spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids or during traditional burial practices. Since its identification in 1967, about 20 outbreaks have been recorded, five of which occurred in Uganda. No licensed vaccine exists, though several candidates are under investigation.
Uganda’s health minister, Chris Baryomunsi, urged a review of travel restrictions imposed by other countries, emphasizing that stringent airport screening and other public-health measures reduce the risk of exporting Ebola. He did not comment on the Marburg cases. The country has reported 20 Ebola cases in the current outbreak, with no new cases detected for over two weeks.
Ugandan authorities have not publicly disclosed details of the Marburg outbreak, and attempts to obtain comment from the health ministry have been unsuccessful.
