The Ministry of Health has today appealed to the general public to be careful following the confirmation of the Marburg virus in the eastern district of Kween.
Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng said after that laboratory tests conducted on October 19 by Uganda Virus Institute (UVRI), it was confirmed that a 50-year old female from Chemuron village, Moyok Parish, had died of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF).
Minister Acen said preliminary investigation showed the deceased had nursed her 42 year old brother, who died on Sept 25, 2017. The deceased was a hunter and reportedly came into close contact with bats in caves.
The Marburg Virus Disease is caused by the Marburg Virus, a rare but severe type of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever which affects humans and non-human primates like monkeys and baboons with its reservoir host being the African fruit bat.
A person suffering from Marburg presents sudden onset of high fever, headache, vomiting … however there is no specific treatment or vaccine for Marburg but patients are given supportive treatment and must be sought early to survive,” Dr. Aceng said at the Uganda Media Centre earlier today.
According to Ms Aceng, Ministry of Health has deployed a rapid response team of highly trained Epidemiologists and infection control experts to Kween and Kapchorwa district
Further, she said that preparations are underway to train health workers and to sensitize the communities despite the sending Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among other supplies for emergency intervention.
