WHO UGANDA NEWS BULLETIN

Volume 2 Issue 38: November 2014

UGANDA DECLARED FREE OF MARBURG

Hon. Sarah Opendi addressing journalists

Dr. Alemu Wondimagegnehu WHO Country

Representative addressing the journalists

Kampala, 17th November 2014:- Uganda has been declared

free of Marburg outbreak. At a press-briefing that took place at
the Uganda Media Centre, the Minister of State for Health in
charge of Primary Health Care, Hon. Sarah Opendi said, The
Marburg outbreak in Uganda has been controlled and we
thank development partners for their tireless efforts in
providing technical advice.

and monitoring of suspected cases.

Hon. Opendi also said that there should be vigilance among the
public and health workers to avoid further risk. She said that the
Ministry of Health will continue to sensitize the public on
preventive measures and to emphasize the risk of wild-lifehuman transmission by avoiding contact with fruit bats,
reducing the risk of human-human transmission in the
community arising from direct or close contact with infected
patient. She further said that gloves and appropriate personal
protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill
patients at home.

People with Marburg experience fever, headache and muscle

pain. Five days later, a rash across the chest, back and stomach
may be observed. Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat,
abdominal pain and diarrhoea may also occur

Marburg is spread through contact with body fluids like blood,

vomitus of those affected. Marburg can also be transmitted
through eating fruit-bats which are the biggest reservoirs of the
Marburg Virus and eating monkeys which get sick from the
infection and can transmit it to humans.

It is to be recalled that, laboratory tests done at Uganda Virus

Research Institute confirmed the Marburg case in Uganda on 4th
October, and since then there has not been any new confirmed
case. The one case was a 30-year-old male Radiographer, who
was originally working in Mpigi District Health Centre IV
(HCIV), Mpigi Town Council as Radiographer but had been
recruited by Mengo Hospital a Private not for Profit. He started
The WHO Country Representative, Dr. Alemu Wondimagegnehu feeling unwell on 11-September-2014 while on duty at Mengo
congratulated the government on being able to control the
Hospital and travelled back to Mpigi Health Centre IV on 18disease. He also thank the leadership of the Ministry of Health,
September 2014 to seek treatment since he felt more comfortable
with a facility that he had worked with for a long time and had
the health workers that participated in the response efforts and
the media for a job well done. He, however, advised the public not friends to take care of him while under medication. He was later
referred to Mengo hospital where he died on 28th September; he
to relax because the threats is not yet over. Exercise caution
was buried in Kasese on 30th March 2014.
and follow the guidelines to prevent the viral disease. The
media too, should continue in your effort to increasing
Ministry of Health puts the number of contact cases to 197 that
public awareness, he said.
were under follow up. Blood samples of 18 suspected cases
including the brother of the deceased that had shown symptoms
Dr. Alemu also thanked the all development and implementing
of the disease, turned out negative.
partners for their engagements and continuous assistance
provided in their different capacities to the success.
On 10th November 2014, the country had completed the 42 days
of intensive surveillance and situational assessment to detect
The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa and Marburg in Uganda
new Marburg case and found none. According to the WHO
saw the country increase vigilance in dealing with these diseases. guidelines a country that declared Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
The public health screening Centre at the airport was well
should wait for 42 days after discharge or death of the last
equipped and staffed. Isolation centers were set up in Entebbe,
confirmed case, with good quality surveillance or vigilance before
Mpigi, Mulago and Kasese to facilitate isolation, management,
declaring the outbreak over.
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For more information please contact Benjamin Sensasi, Health Promotion Adviser, WHO Country Office Tel 256-414-335500 Email: sensasIb@.who.int