Tanzania confirms Marburg virus outbreak after initial denial
Tanzania’s president has declared an outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus just a week after its health minister denied there were any cases in the country.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan told a news conference on Monday that health authorities had confirmed one case from Marburg in the northwestern region of Kagera.
“We are confident that we will once again overcome this challenge,” Samia said, referring 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, with nine suspected cases and eight deaths reported in Kagera in five days.
But Tanzanian Health Minister Genista Mghagama said in a statement that after analyzing the samples, all suspected cases were found to be negative for Marburg.
At Monday’s press briefing, which was jointly organized with WHO, President Samia said his government had stepped up its efforts and a rapid response team had been sent to track all suspected cases.
Marburg is highly contagious, characterized by fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases, death due to excessive blood loss.
According to WHO, this virus kills on average half of the people who get infected.
Tanzania says that along with the one confirmed case, authorities took samples from 24 other people suspected of having Marburg. All of them tested negative.
Meanwhile, the cause of the eight deaths reported by WHO is yet to be revealed.
Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023 in Bukoba district. Six people died and it lasted for about two months.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the global risk from Tanzania’s current outbreak is “low.”
“Even though there is no approved treatment or vaccine, the outbreak can be stopped early,” he said. “WHO advises against sanctions. Now is the time for cooperation.”
On Thursday, Africa CDC, the African Union’s public health agency, said more than 300 contacts had been identified for further testing. Of these contacts, 56 are health workers, while 16 people on the list are known to have direct contact with people suspected of being infected in Marburg.
The 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) require countries to report public health incidents and emergencies that may cross borders. Kagera is a transit hub where many people travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.
In December, neighboring Rwanda announced that the outbreak had ended in the country, which had infected 66 people and killed 15.
Marburg virus is spread to humans by fruit bats and then by contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for this virus, although trials are underway.
