Geneva, Switzerland, 13 April 2026- /African Media Agency (AMA)/- The health authorities in Burundi, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, are deepening investigations to determine the cause of an illness that has led to five deaths and sickened 35 people in Mpanda district in the north of the country.
Laboratory analysis has turned negative for Ebola and Marburg virus diseases, Rift Valley fever, yellow fever and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. An alert about the undiagnosed illness was received on 31 March 2026, primarily among members of the same household and close contacts. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in urine, fatigue and abdominal pain. Some severe cases have also presented with jaundice and anaemia.
“While it’s reassuring that preliminary analysis is negative for these serious infections, further investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the disease,” said Dr Lydwine Badarahana, Burundi’s Minister of Health. “All the necessary measures are being taken to safeguard public health and prevent potential spread of infection.”
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 to support ongoing investigations.
WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen disease surveillance, field investigation, clinical care, laboratory diagnosis and infection prevention and control, while also providing logistical support to sustain key operations. The Organization has also facilitated the shipment of samples to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo for further analysis.
The Ministry of Health is leading the response, working with partner organizations to coordinate joint efforts.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Health Organisation.
The post Burundi investigates illness that has caused five deaths appeared first on African Media Agency.
