Photo Credit:US CDC
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania announced the country's first confirmed case of the Marburg virus on Monday, confirming an outbreak of the Ebola-like illness. This statement comes just a week after Tanzania's health minister denied reports of the virus in the country. The case is located in the north-western region of Kagera.
We are confident that we will overcome this challenge once again, Samia said,Mreferring to a previous outbreak in Tanzania two years ago. On 14 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a suspected Marburg outbreak in the country, having recorded nine suspected cases and eight deaths over five days in Kagera. But Tanzania's Health Minister Jenista Mhagama said in a statement that after samples had been analysed, all suspected cases were found negative for Marburg.
At Monday's press briefing, which was 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. Marburg is highly infectious, with symptoms including fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea, 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. Meanwhile, the cause of the eight deaths reported by the WHO has yet to be revealed. Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023 in the Bukoba district. It killed six people and lasted for nearly two months. WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the global risk from Tanzania's current outbreak was low.
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. There are no specific treatments or a vaccine for the virus, although trials are underway.
