Disease Outbreak News

2000 - Congo

2 March 2000

Description of the situation

02 March 2000

Disease Outbreak Reported

The National Institute for Virology, South Africa has confirmed 7 cases (one case was previously reported in Update 9) of Marburg haemorrhagic fever from the Watsa Health Zone in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Onset dates of illness range from late-December 1999 to mid-February 2000. All of the 6 new cases occurred in adult males and three of these have died, but it is not known at this time if the cases were gold miners working in Durba. Marburg infections in miners in Durba were first diagnosed in April 1999, but are believed to have begun as early as November 1998.