Tanzania has confirmed an outbreak of the Marburg virus, an Ebola-like disease, after initially denying the presence of any cases. This development has raised significant public health concerns across the region.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced the Marburg virus outbreak at a press conference on Monday, confirming one case of Marburg in the north-western region of Kagera. “We are confident that we will overcome this challenge once again,” Samia said, referring to a previous outbreak in Tanzania two years ago.
On 14 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a suspected Marburg virus outbreak in the country, having recorded nine suspected cases and eight deaths over five days in Kagera. However, Tanzania’s Health Minister Jenista Mhagama initially denied the presence of any Marburg virus cases.
At Monday’s press briefing, held jointly with the WHO, President Samia said her government had stepped up its efforts and that a rapid response team had been dispatched to follow up on all suspected cases.
The highly infectious Marburg virus is characterized by symptoms such as fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases, death through extreme blood loss. On average, the virus kills half of the people it infects, according to the WHO.
Tanzania says that along with the one confirmed case, authorities took samples from 24 other people suspected of having Marburg. These all tested negative. However, the cause of the eight deaths reported by the WHO has yet to be revealed.
Tanzania experienced its first Marburg virus outbreak in March 2023 in the Bukoba district. It killed six people and lasted for nearly two months.
“The global risk from Tanzania’s current outbreak is “low,” according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Even though there is no approved treatment or vaccines, outbreaks can be stopped quickly,” he said. “WHO advises against restrictions. Now is the time for collaboration.”
On Thursday, Africa CDC, the African Union’s public health agency, said more than 300 contacts had been identified for further testing. Health workers make up 56 of these contacts, while 16 on the list are known to have had direct contact with those suspected to have had Marburg.
The International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005 require countries to report public health events and emergencies that could cross borders. Kagera is a transit hub with many people travelling to and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda.
In December, neighbouring Rwanda declared that an outbreak in the country, which had infected 66 people and killed 15, was over.
The Marburg virus is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and then through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. There are no specific treatments or a vaccine for the Marburg virus, although trials are under way.
