The <<>> and health authorities in Angola have confirmed 275 cases including 255 deaths, in an outbreak of Marburg virus in north-western Angola since April 27 this year.
Cases have been recorded in the provinces of Uige, Luanda Cabinda, Malange, Kuanza Norte, Kuanza Sul and Zaire. All cases are at present concentrated in the north-western part of the country with 90% of the cases and deaths having been recorded in the province of Uige.
Currently under investigation is a suspected case in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the WHO and other multi-disciplinary international teams are supporting the Ministry of Health, in Angola, in the assessment and management of the outbreaks.
The Marburg virus is an animal-borne disease that affects humans and certain non-human primates, such as the African green monkey, although the source of the virus is unknown. It has an incubation period of up to 7 days and the onset of the disease is sudden, symptoms include high fever, malaise, and muscle pain, and a rash may develop around the trunk roughly five days after symptom onset. Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea may also occur. Symptoms increase in severity and may progress to include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive haemorrhaging, and multi-organ dysfunction.
Marburg virus is acquired by direct contact with blood, body fluids, respiratory secretions and organs of infected human and non-human primates. Casual transmission of this virus from person-to-person has not been reported. Hospital acquired infections have occurred due to contaminated syringes and needles.