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First-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania: an imminent crisis in West and East Africa.
  • Olivier Sibomana,
  • Emmanuel Kubwimana
Olivier Sibomana
University of Rwanda

Corresponding Author:oliviersibomana917@gmail.com

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Emmanuel Kubwimana
University of Rwanda
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Abstract

The Marburg virus, which is a member of the same virus family as the Ebola virus called Filoviridae, causes the severe infectious disease known as Marburg Virus Disease (MVD). Previously, different outbreaks of MVD have appeared in different African countries, including Ghana, Guinea, Uganda, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and South Africa. For the first time, Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are experiencing MVD outbreaks. A total of 15 laboratory-confirmed cases of MVD and 23 probable cases have been reported in Equatorial Guinea since the confirmation of the outbreak on 13 February 2023. The first MVD outbreak in the United Republic of Tanzania was formally confirmed by the Ministry of Health on March 21, 2023. As of 22 March, there were eight cases and five fatalities (case fatality ratio [CFR]: 62.5%). Due to the facts that Ebebiyin and Nsock Nsomo districts, the affected regions of Equatorial Guinea, borders Cameroon and Gabon, and Kagera region, the affected region of Tanzania, borders Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, there is fear of cross-border spread of MVD due to cross-border migrations, and this can be a great crisis in West and East Africa. Although there are currently outbreaks of MVD in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, there is currently no proof of an epidemiological connection between the two outbreaks. The aim of this paper is to describe Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), describe its first outbreak in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, explain the efforts being used and the challenges being faced in MVD mitigation, and recommend different measures to be taken to cope with the outbreak of MVD in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.
28 May 2023Submitted to Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
29 May 2023Submission Checks Completed
29 May 2023Assigned to Editor
02 Jun 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
12 Jun 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major
30 Jul 20231st Revision Received
31 Jul 2023Submission Checks Completed
31 Jul 2023Assigned to Editor
31 Jul 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Aug 2023Editorial Decision: Accept
Aug 2023Published in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease volume 11 issue 8. https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.980