Marburg Outbreak Fatalities Reach 11

The Equatorial Guinea Health Ministry tweeted today confirming two additional Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) deaths, which increases the outbreak total to 11 fatalities.

An official statement issued on February 27, 2023, also stated there are 4 other suspected MVD cases. Overall, 48 contacts have been identified.

Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first-ever outbreak of MVD in the Kie Ntem Province on February 13, 2023.

The World Health Organization recently assessed the risk posed by the MVD outbreak as high at the national level, moderate at the regional level, and low at the global level.

For example, Spain reported an MVD case in a returning traveler last week.

Given these continued outbreak concerns, the U.S. CDC previously issued a Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions, travel alert.

Marburg is a severe human disease caused by the Marburgvirus and can potentially cause epidemics with significant case fatality rates of 50%.

It is spread by contact with the blood or body fluids of a person infected with Marburgvirus.

It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects or animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates infected with Marburgvirus.

As of February 28, 2023, the African CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency have not approved any Marburg vaccine candidate.