In the north of Burundi, a health crisis is unfolding as authorities investigate an illness that has already taken five lives and infected 35 others in the district of Mpanda. The rapid response has been initiated following an alert on 31 March 2026, which highlighted the severity of the situation within a single household and its close contacts. Symptoms reported include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in urine, fatigue, and abdominal pain, with some severe cases presenting with jaundice and anaemia.
Dr Lydwine Badarahana, the Minister of Health in Burundi, has emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that while preliminary laboratory tests have ruled out Ebola, Marburg virus, Rift Valley fever, yellow fever, and Crimean — Congo haemorrhagic fever, the search for the illness’s cause is ongoing. “All necessary measures are being taken to safeguard public health and prevent the potential spread of infection, “Dr Badarahana stated, underscoring the government’s commitment to the wellbeing of its citizens.
To aid in the investigation, a joint team of experts from the country’s public health emergency operations centre and the national reference laboratory has been deployed to the field. The World Health Organization (WHO) is actively supporting the Burundi Ministry of Health by bolstering disease surveillance, enhancing field investigation and clinical care, refining laboratory diagnosis, and implementing infection prevention and control measures. Additionally, the WHO has facilitated the shipment of samples to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo for further analysis.
The Ministry of Health is coordinating the response with various partner organizations, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in tackling the health emergency. The situation is being monitored closely, and the Burundian government is working diligently to ascertain the illness’s source and implement effective strategies to mitigate its impact.
Source: reliefweb
Original author: World Health Organization
