Marburg: Three family members, herbalist quarantined  

Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng

Two family members of one of the confirmed cases of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) have been quarantined after they developed symptoms of the deadly disease.

The third isolated person who happens to be a ‘herbalist', was visited by the deceased who had gone for treatment after he contracted Marburg.

Vivian Sserwanja, the ministry of health spokesperson in a telephone interview with the New Vision yesterday said all three including one of the wives and child of the deceased and herbalist were isolated at Kween district's Kaproron health centre IV.

"These are suspected cases whose samples have been taken to the Uganda Virus Research Institute for testing. However as we await their results, they have been put on symptomatic treatment," she said.

Since the outbreak of the disease almost a fortnight ago, the health ministry has announced two confirmed cases and one probable case that have all since passed on.

The Marburg outbreak, first reported in Eastern Uganda in Kween district came about when a 52-year-old died after being in close contact with a relative (deceased) who carried out his activities in a cave, infested with African Fruit bats.

The reservoir host of Marburg virus is the African Fruit bat which is predominant in Uganda and the infection only comes about when man interacts with the bats.

Marburg is a viral disease that spreads through direct contact with wounds and body fluids such as blood, saliva, vomit, stool and urine of a person who is infected. It affects both humans and non-human primates like monkeys, baboons.

Uganda can only be declared Marburg free after 42 days from the death of the last confirmed test.