Following a deadly Marburg Virus outbreak in southern Ethiopia, Kenya has placed its health authorities on high alert amid concerns over cross-border transmission, the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) announced.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health confirmed the country’s first-ever Marburg Virus Disease outbreak in Jinka. Previous outbreaks in Africa have occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
While Kenya has not reported any cases, the KNPHI warned that significant movement from Ethiopia via airports and land borders poses a high risk of importation.
“Given the high case fatality rate of MVD, counties are urged to strengthen measures to safeguard public health,” the KNPHI said in an advisory.
“Counties are advised to train health workers on viral hemorrhagic fever case definitions.”
The institute also urged authorities to reinforce monitoring at points of entry, health facilities, and within communities to quickly detect and report suspected cases.
Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, is a viral hemorrhagic fever affecting humans and non-human primates. It is caused by the Marburg or Ravn viruses and produces symptoms similar to Ebola virus disease.
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