Two more quarantined over Marburg

By Taddeo Bwambale

TWO more people have been quarantined after presenting signs of Marburg, a viral haemorrhagic infection that has so far claimed one person in Uganda.

One of the new suspected cases was admitted at Mulago Referral Hospital isolation facility on Tuesday, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the director general of health services confirmed on Wednesday.

The second new suspected case was isolated at Mpigi Health Centre IV.

The male patient was admitted in the same ward with Abraham Baluku, who died from Marburg on September 28.

Aceng said tests on blood samples collected from the patients were being carried out at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe.

Marburg fever is caused by a virus that easily spreads through direct contact with wounds, body fluids like blood, saliva, vomit, stool and urine of an infected person.

A person suffering from Marburg suffers high fever, joint and muscle pains, vomits blood and may bleed through the body openings like eyes, nose, gums, ears, anus and the skin.

Baluku, a radiographer at Mengo Hospital is the only confirmed person to have died from Marburg.

However, over 123 people are under surveillance by health officials after coming into contact with the first confirmed case or developing signs of Marburg infection.