Health

Tanzania Confirms Marburg Case Amid Renewed Outbreak Concerns

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced on Monday that a single sample from the country’s northern region has tested positive for Marburg disease, a highly infectious virus with a fatality rate of up to 88% without treatment.

Speaking in Dodoma alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Hassan confirmed the findings after earlier disputes over the outbreak’s presence.

On January 14, WHO reported a suspected Marburg outbreak in Tanzania’s Kagera region, citing eight fatalities. Hours later, Tanzanian health authorities refuted the claim, stating preliminary tests had returned negative results. However, further testing confirmed one positive case, while 25 other samples were negative, Hassan said.

Similar to Ebola, Marburg virus is transmitted from fruit bats and spreads between people through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as soiled linens.

Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and, in severe cases, death from significant blood loss. There is no authorized vaccine or treatment for Marburg, though supportive care can improve survival rates.

This marks the second Marburg outbreak in Kagera since 2023. The new case comes just one month after neighboring Rwanda declared the end of its Marburg outbreak, which began on September 27.

Rwandan health officials reported 66 cases and 15 deaths, with many victims being healthcare workers who treated initial patients.

WHO continues to monitor the situation in Kagera closely, providing support to Tanzanian health authorities to prevent further spread of the disease.

The confirmation of this case underscores the need for vigilance, especially in border regions, to prevent a broader outbreak. Efforts are underway to educate communities about Marburg’s symptoms and transmission methods, emphasizing the importance of early reporting and isolation of suspected cases.

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