Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced on Monday that a sample from a remote area in northern Tanzania tested positive for Marburg disease, a highly infectious virus with a fatality rate of up to 88% if left untreated.
This confirmation comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a suspected outbreak in Tanzania’s Kagera region on January 14. However, Tanzanian health officials initially disputed the report, stating that tests on samples had returned negative results.
President Hassan revealed that further testing confirmed the Marburg case, while 25 other samples tested negative. This outbreak marks the second occurrence of Marburg in Kagera since 2023.
The Marburg virus, similar to Ebola, originates from fruit bats and spreads through close contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Symptoms of the disease include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and potentially fatal blood loss.
Unfortunately, there is no authorized vaccine or treatment available for Marburg. The outbreak in Kagera follows Rwanda’s declaration of the end of its own Marburg outbreak just a month ago, which resulted in 15 deaths and 66 cases.
Rwandan officials reported that the majority of those affected were healthcare workers who handled the first patients. The outbreak in Rwanda was first declared on September 27.
The Tanzanian government has yet to announce measures to contain the outbreak, but President Hassan’s confirmation of the Marburg case is expected to trigger a response from health authorities.
The WHO has been working closely with Tanzanian health officials to investigate the outbreak and provide support. The organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was present alongside President Hassan during the announcement.
The Marburg outbreak in Tanzania has raised concerns about the potential for cross-border transmission, given the country’s shared border with Rwanda. Health officials in the region are on high alert, and efforts are underway to strengthen surveillance and contact tracing.
