Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Uganda: Marburg Fever Outbreak - Oct 2012

Disaster description

On 19 Oct 2012, the Uganda Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Marburg haemorrhagic fever. As of 29 Oct, a total of 19 cases and nine deaths had been reported from five districts: Kabale district, in south-western Uganda, Kampala (the capital city), Ibanda, Mbarara and Kabarole. (WHO, 31 Oct 2012)

By 14 Dec, a total of 14 cases including seven deaths had been reported. The last confirmed cases were discharged on 22 Nov. (WHO, 21 Dec 2012)

After no new cases were reported for 42 days, the minister of health declared the end of the outbreak on 3 Jan 2013 (New Vision, 7 Jan 2013).

By 4 January 2013, the date that Uganda was declaration free of Marburg, a total of 44 suspect and confirmed Marburg cases had been listed since the declarations of the EHF out-break in Kabale and the extended retrospective epidemiological investigations into the outbreak,. Out of these, 15 were confirmed; 5 were probable cases and 24 were discarded as non-cases following negative laboratory tests for Marburg virus; and 11 cases remain suspected cases as these are cases that were suspected to have died of the disease without laboratory confirmation of the disease. Out of the 20 confirmed/probable cases, 15 died giving a case fatality rate of 75% including reported community deaths. (IFRC Final Report, 2 May 2013)

Affected Countries

Latest Updates

Maps and Infographics

Most Read

Other disasters affecting the country