Description of the situation
24 March 2005
A WHO outbreak response team, including experts from the Inter-country programme for southern Africa, the Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and from Headquarters are working with the Ministry of Health to rapidly provide technical support for case management, contact tracing and surveillance, infection control and raising awareness of the disease in the community and to continue an assessment of the situation. Further technical support is being provided from institutions in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).
The WHO Collaborating Centre, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta carried out the initial laboratory tests confirming Marburg virus.