Equatorial Guinea Declares Marburg Virus Outbreak

Equatorial Guinea declared the country’s first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) on Monday after a laboratory affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the disease in a sample taken from a deceased patient. As of Feb. 13, health authorities have reported nine deaths and 16 suspected cases.

In response to the outbreak, WHO deployed advance teams to affected districts to trace contacts, isolate and provide medical care to people showing symptoms of the disease. Emergency experts in epidemiology, case management, infection prevention, laboratory and risk communication are also on hand to support the national response efforts and secure community collaboration in the outbreak control.

MVD is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, including blood, sweat, feces and semen. MVD can also spread through objects contaminated by an infected person.

All donors with recent travel to Equatorial Guinea would be deferred from blood donation for three months following their return to the U.S. to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria. Additionally, any individuals with MVD would be ineligible to donate blood due to high symptomatic penetrance. There have been no documented cases of transfusion transmission of MVD.

AABB will continue to monitor the potential outbreak and update members as additional information is available. Additional information about MVD is available on AABB’s Marburg virus fact sheet.