The Ministry of Health has issued a public advisory concerning the Marburg virus following confirmed cases in neighboring Tanzania, urging Kenyans to remain vigilant and take preventive measures against the deadly disease.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Director General Patrick Amoth emphasized the severity of the virus, which is closely related to Ebola and known for its high fatality rates and lack of approved treatments.
The Marburg virus is primarily transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with infected individuals or their bodily fluids. Miners and hikers are particularly at risk due to their proximity to bat habitats.
Early symptoms of Marburg virus disease include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, and malaise, typically appearing within 2 to 21 days of exposure. As the disease progresses, symptoms such as severe cramping, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting may occur. Severe cases can lead to bleeding, organ damage, and death, often within 8 to 10 days.
Amoth assured the public that the Ministry is on high alert, with enhanced surveillance, screening, and diagnostic capacities in place to detect and manage any potential cases. Infection prevention and control measures, including protocols for safe and dignified burials, have also been implemented.
“Outbreaks begin and end with communities,” Amoth noted, urging the public to maintain personal hygiene, avoid contact with bats and infected individuals, and promptly report any symptoms to healthcare facilities.
Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry has intensified its preparedness efforts, despite no reported cases of the Marburg virus in Kenya.
Preventive measures focus on reducing bat-to-human transmission by avoiding fruit bat habitats and ensuring thorough cooking of animal products. Human-to-human transmission can be minimized by isolating infected individuals, avoiding contact with bodily fluids, and practicing good hygiene. Community awareness, safe burials, and monitoring of close contacts are critical to containing outbreaks.
The Marburg virus has an average fatality rate of 50%, with past outbreaks recording rates between 24% and 88%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Early care, including rehydration and symptom management, significantly improves survival rates. While no vaccines or treatments are currently approved, several are under development.
Notable outbreaks include:
- Germany and Yugoslavia (1967): 31 cases, 7 deaths.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998-2000): 154 cases, 128 deaths.
- Angola (2004-2005): 252 cases, 227 deaths—the deadliest outbreak.
- Uganda (2007, 2012, 2014, 2017): Multiple small outbreaks.
- Ghana (2022): 2 cases, both fatal.
- Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania (2023): Ongoing investigations.
Tanzania, which experienced its first outbreak in March 2023 in Bukoba district, reported six deaths during the nearly two-month outbreak. Currently, the country has one confirmed case, while tests conducted on 24 suspected cases have returned negative. The cause of eight deaths previously reported by the WHO remains unclear.
With the Marburg virus posing significant public health risks, the Ministry of Health has called for solidarity, vigilance, and preventive action to avert a potential outbreak in Kenya.
