[U] Marburg: An Ebola-Like Threat Sees A Viral Revival -- In Remote Mountainous Uganda...

UPDATED: 11.16.2017 @ 2 PM EST -- Per the WHO reports, seems that all relevant 21 day observation periods have elapsed in both Uganda and Kenya, without any new live cases of Marburg. Thus the Fall 2017 acute phase of the African Marburg outbreak may now be declared over. That is decidedly good news. Vigilance efforts will continue in country however, with local health ministries. [End, updated portion.]

In many ways, the dread (but lesser-known) Marburg virus mimics Ebola. The symptoms are similar -- and it is every bit as lethal, if it gets free, into a human population.

But in one important way, Marburg's differs: there is no vaccine candidate -- and there is no known cure.

And so it is especially critical to keep the occasional outbreaks contained, localized, and minimized. Tamped down. That is about all the Ugandan health ministers, and the WHO can hope for, at the moment. [It is well past time to find a suitable biological container for a killed Marburg viral load, and try that as a vaccine candidate. Much the same -- as to Ebola, was a life-sciences accomplishment, in the 2013 to 2014 timeframe (by the Health Ministry of Canada using a simian container, and later NewLink Genetics and Merck, working together) to arrest that virus.]

Here is the news, from about a week ago, at

WHO (and just a bit from that comprehensive updating press release):

. . . .[T]he Ugandan Ministry of Health notified WHO of a confirmed outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Kween District, Eastern Uganda. The Ministry for Health officially declared the outbreak on 19 October 2017.

As of 24 October, five cases have been reported – one confirmed case, one probable case with an epidemiological link to the confirmed case, and three suspected cases including two health workers. . . .

Two health workers who were in contact with the confirmed case have developed symptoms consistent with Marburg virus disease and are under investigation (suspected cases). Laboratory results to rule out Marburg virus disease are pending.

Contact tracing and follow-up activities have been initiated. As of 23 October, 155 contacts including 66 who had contact with the first case and 89 who had contact with the second case-patient have been listed in the two affected districts, including 44 health care workers. The number of family and community contacts is still being investigated. . . .

We will, as ever, keep an weather eye on this one. Onward, then -- on a cool, gray Tuesday mid-morning -- headed to the warm sunny western US, come early Thursday -- off grid then until Monday night. Be well one and all.

नमस्ते