Uganda increases border monitoring in Tanzania due to a possible Marburg outbreak

After a potential epidemic of Marburg virus disease (MVD) that has killed eight people, Uganda has increased border monitoring with Tanzania, a top government official said Friday.

According to Ugandan Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda was notified by the World Health Organization (WHO) about the probable epidemic in Tanzania’s Kagera district, which is next to Uganda.

Kyotera, Isingiro, Rakai, Kalangala, and Ntungamo are border areas in Uganda that have been classified by health officials as having an imminent high risk of disease importation, according to Aceng.

There have been no confirmed or suspected instances of MVD in Uganda, according to the ministry. The disease is marked by symptoms including headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhea, bloody vomiting, bodily weakness, and external bleeding.

“We are aware that in addition to cross-border movements through the designated points of entry, there is rapid movement in the non-designated points of entry,” Aceng continued. “We have heightened points of entry surveillance, active case search, and public health communication in the high-risk border districts.”

In light of Kagera’s key position as a transit hub with significant cross-border traffic including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the WHO has categorized the regional risk as high.

“We advise the population to remain calm, especially the population in the high-risk districts,” Aceng added. They should continue to be on the lookout and notify the closest medical facility of anyone exhibiting symptoms and indicators typical of Marburg and foul deaths. In order to keep an eye on the situation, the ministry will promptly offer updates.

The World Health Organization states that MVD is a very virulent illness that causes hemorrhagic fever and can be deadly in up to 88% of cases. The zoonotic virus is spread to humans by direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or contaminated objects including blood, tissues, or surfaces.