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Marburg fever alert issued in Lake zone
2007-08-17 09:09:40
By Emmanuel Chacha, Mwanza
The authorities in the Lake Victoria zone have issued an alert following the recent outbreak of the rare and highly fatal Marburg haemorrhagic fever in western Uganda`s Kamwenge district, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Government officials in the zone’s Kagera, Mara and Mwanza regions say precautions have been taken to stop the disease from spreading to Tanzania from Uganda.
Regional and district health management teams have been charged with helping to ensure that Tanzania is safe from the disease and to swiftly swing into action in the event of an unforeseen outbreak, Mwanza Regional Medical Officer Herbert Bhwana said yesterday.
It is also understood that security across the border and various other potentially vulnerable points is being tightened, with all places where many people could be exposed to the disease among those targeted.
Kagera Region, which borders Uganda, has been coaching medical practitioners from the dispensary level on what to do in the event of an outbreak, while public awareness campaigns on the disease are also in full swing.
In Mwanza`s Geita, Magu, and Ukerewe districts, whose geographical location makes them especially susceptible, medical officers have been busy conducting seminars on the disease and how to deal with its spread.
Dr Bhwana confirmed that all three regions have been sensitising the public on the symptoms of the disease `so that they know what to do when they notice them`.
He elaborated: `We have already conducted sensitisation seminars for medical practitioners in Geita, Magu and Ukerewe districts, with the other districts due to follow soon. The most important thing is to know the nature of the disease and its symptoms because that will help us control it if it occurs although we are not praying for that.`
The RMO hinted out severe headache and fever followed by rapid debilitation, severe diarrhoea, muscle and abdominal pains and vomiting begin around the third day of infection, while death occurs eight to nine days after the onset of symptoms.
He said the disease is caused by a virus from the same family as the one that causes the Ebola haemorrhagic (internal bleeding) fever, is transmitted through close contact with blood or other body fluids and can cause bleeding from multiple orifices.
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