Uganda has confirmed a new case of Marburg virus disease, prompting health authorities to launch contact tracing and investigations as the World Health Organization (WHO) works alongside officials to prevent any further spread.
The case was identified in Kyegegwa District in western Uganda through disease surveillance systems that had been strengthened during the country’s recent Ebola response.
Announcing the development, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Uganda informed the UN health agency of the confirmed infection on Tuesday.
“In Uganda, no new cases of Ebola have been reported since 21 June. However, on Tuesday this week, Uganda notified WHO of a confirmed case of Marburg virus disease in the country’s western Kyegegwa District. The case was identified through enhanced disease surveillance for Ebola,” Dr Tedros said.
He added that health teams had already identified everyone who came into contact with the patient and that none had shown symptoms at the time of reporting.
“WHO is supporting investigations to determine the source of exposure, assess the public health risk, and support community engagement,” he said.
The confirmation comes just days after Uganda reported no new Ebola infections, highlighting the continued vigilance of health authorities even as one outbreak appears to be under control.
Marburg virus disease is a rare but highly dangerous illness caused by a virus in the same family as Ebola. While the two diseases are caused by different viruses, they share many clinical features, including severe fever and haemorrhagic symptoms in some patients.
Uganda has dealt with Marburg before. In 2017, the country recorded three confirmed cases, all of which proved fatal. Earlier, in 2012, an outbreak resulted in 15 confirmed infections and four deaths.
The disease has also appeared in neighbouring Kenya, where three cases were reported between 1980 and 1987, according to WHO records. Two of those patients died.
Health experts say the virus is naturally carried by Egyptian fruit bats and spreads to people through direct contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids. It can also spread through contaminated materials, placing healthcare workers and family caregivers at greater risk if proper protective measures are not followed.
Symptoms usually develop between two and 21 days after exposure. The illness often begins with a sudden fever, severe headache, muscle pain and weakness before progressing to vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal or external bleeding.
WHO estimates that Marburg has an average fatality rate of about 50 per cent, although outcomes vary widely depending on how quickly patients receive medical care. Past outbreaks have recorded fatality rates ranging from roughly one-quarter of patients to nearly nine in ten.
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Marburg virus disease. However, WHO says early supportive care, including rehydration and treatment of complications, can significantly improve a patient’s chances of survival. Several vaccines and experimental treatments are also being studied.
For now, health officials are focusing on rapid case detection, contact tracing, isolation of confirmed patients and public awareness as they work to contain the virus before it spreads further.
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