Marburg Transmission in Kwanza Sul Angola?
Recombinomics Commentary
April 14, 2005
The April 12 figures from the Ministry of Health show a slow increase in Marburg cases. There is clustering suggesting Marburg may be transmitting in Kwanza Sul. There are now 12 reported cases with 6 deaths in Luanda. Confirmed cases are lagging, with only 2 of the 12 confirmed. The city of Uige only has 30 of its 170 cases confirmed, but all 6 of the latest cases are confirmed. This suggests reported but unconfirmed cases have not been added to the total number of cases in Uige.
Confirmation or access issues may explain why none of the other Marburg positive municipalities in Uige province (Songo, Maquela do Zombo, Damba, Puri, Mucaba, Negage, and Nao precisado) do not have any new cases in the April 12 report.
There is a new case in Kwanza Sul. The case is in Sumbe, which is adjacent to Quilenda and Ambolm. These two municipalities had prior cases (5 in Ambolm and 1 in Quilenda), which have all died. However, the new case in Sumbe may reflect transmission linked to the earlier cases.
The official totals in the April 12 report have 231 reported cases with 210 fatalities. Municipalities with cases that have not died include Uige (12), Nao precisado (1), Malanje (2), Sumbe (1), Luanda (6), Mbanza Congo (1).