Epidemiology

The Marburg virus was the first filovirus to be discovered after simultaneous outbreaks in several European laboratories, including one in Marburg, Germany in 1967. The initial transmission to humans on this occasion was likely due to contact with infected African green monkeys. Subsequent human-to-human transmission spread the disease to 31 people in total. Approximately 500 to 600 human cases have been reported to date, globally (the number of cases depends on the reporting source).[2]​​​[5][6]​​​​​​

A few sporadic cases have occurred and there have been two large epidemics, one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998 to 2000 (154 people) and one in Angola in 2004 to 2005 (252 people). Small outbreaks have also been reported in Uganda between 2007 and 2017.[2]​​[7]

Recent outbreaks

  • 2023: Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania reported their first-ever confirmed cases in February and March 2023, respectively. A total of nine cases (eight laboratory-confirmed and one probable) were reported in Tanzania, including six deaths.[8]​ A total of 17 confirmed and 23 probable cases were reported in Equatorial Guinea, including 35 deaths.[9]​ Both outbreaks were declared over in early June 2023.

  • 2022: Ghana reported their first-ever confirmed cases in 2022. Three cases were reported between 28 June and 5 August 2022, including two deaths. All three cases were from the same household. The outbreak was declared over on 16 September 2022.[10]​​

  • 2021: one case was reported in Guinea in August 2021. The patient died in the community a few days after presenting to a small health facility near his village. This was the first known case in Guinea and in West Africa.​[11] No other cases were reported and the outbreak was declared over in September 2021.​

The Ravn virus was discovered in 1987 and has only been identified in three outbreaks: Kenya (1987), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998-2000), and Uganda (2007).

Public health agencies provide an up-to-date outbreak chronology and map of outbreak locations:

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