This week, the WHO provided a summary of the first outbreaks of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, making recommendations on case and alert management, contact tracing, and surveillance within each country and at border crossings. Concern remains over unlinked chains of transmission in the former and a still unknown virus source in Tanzania. It will not be possible to commence discussions on the start of the 42-day countdown to the end of the outbreaks until ‘all listed contacts of confirmed or probable cases have completed their 21-day follow-up period with no symptoms’. Read more
Advice for travellers
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever, related to the Ebola virus, and there is no treatment. Found in the African fruit bat, Marburg typically appears in sporadic outbreaks and laboratory-confirmed cases have occurred in Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Angola, and South Africa. Preventive measures are not well defined, as study in how it is spread continues, but travellers should avoid contact with fruit bats and sick primates in central Africa. Read more on MVD
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.