Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tanzania has 1 confirmed case of Marburg and 25 suspected cases all from the northwestern Kagera region.
So far all 25 suspected case-patients have tested negative for the virus but remain under close surveillance.
"Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population," said Matshidiso Moeti, MD, WHO regional director for Africa, in a statement.
The outbreak comes nearly 2 years after the country reported its first outbreak of the deadly hemorrhagic virus in March 2023.
Same region affected in 2023
The 2023 outbreak also occurred in the Kagera region, and included 9 cases (8 confirmed) and 6 deaths, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 67%. Fruit bats in the area act as likely reservoirs of the virus.
According to the WHO, previous Marburg outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.
Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.
"WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD. "Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease."
Currently there are no treatments for Marburg, but patients with early access to rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids have improved survival rates.