Marburg: FG activates declaration forms for inbound passengers

On Oct 19, 2024

The Federal Government has activated health declaration forms for inbound passengers, especially from regions affected by the recent outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease.

The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

The Rwanda Ministry of Health declared the Marburg outbreak, the country’s first, on September 27, 2024.

MVD, formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The average MVD case fatality rate is around 50 per cent, according to the World Health Organisation.

The global health body said the case fatality rates have varied from 24 per cent to 88 per cent in past outbreaks.

WHO classified the outbreak as a Grade 3 emergency, the highest internal level for emergencies based on the WHO Emergency Response Framework, and a surge team from WHO has travelled to support the in-country response across the functions of incident management: epidemiology, health operations, case management, health logistics, vaccines research, partner coordination and infection prevention and control.

Several outbreaks of MVD have previously been reported from countries neighbouring Rwanda, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

The most recent outbreaks were reported in Equatorial Guinea and the United Republic of Tanzania between February and June 2023. The affected region in the United Republic of Tanzania was the Kagera region, which borders Rwanda. Additional countries that previously reported outbreaks of MVD in the African Region included Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, and South Africa.

Idris said the agency was monitoring the outbreak of the disease in Rwanda.

“We are closely monitoring the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda. As of October 15, 2024, 62 cases have been confirmed, with 15 fatalities.

“The virus, which is highly infectious and similar to Ebola viral disease.

“Following our expert risk assessment conducted, there is a potential for localised transmission particularly among populations with a high presence of bats and where bats are being used as delicacies. The awareness is due to the volume of travel between the two countries.

“While there is no specific treatment or vaccine for Marburg, the NCDC is prepared to respond. Working with our stakeholders across ministries, departments and agencies of government, we have activated health declaration forms for incoming passengers, especially from affected regions and are ready to isolate suspected cases immediately upon detection.

“Additionally, we have identified isolation centres and commenced the process of stockpiling the necessary medical supplies to handle potential cases,” he noted.

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, particularly those travelling to regions with reported Marburg cases.

He also advised them to avoid contact with wild animals, especially fruit bats, and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, or unexplained bleeding occur.

On other health events, he stressed that the agency was fostering strategic partnerships with stakeholders, including the National Council on Climate Change and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency to enhance the capacity for climate-informed decision-making.

PUNCH/WUMI