Tanzania confirms deadly virus case
Tanzania has confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in its northwest Kagera region, President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced on Monday.
During a press conference in Dodoma, which was also attended by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the president disclosed that tests conducted at Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and later verified in Dar es Salaam confirmed one case of the viral disease. “Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” Hassan added.
The WHO had previously flagged a potential outbreak on January 14 after reporting nine suspected cases and eight deaths over five days in Kagera. However, Tanzanian Health Minister Jenista Mhagama initially denied the claims, stating that no positive cases had been confirmed.
As of January 20, President Hassan clarified that 25 suspected cases had been reported, but all had tested negative and remained under close observation. The government has strengthened its response efforts, dispatching a rapid response team to the affected area to monitor cases and implement containment measures.
Tedros emphasized that the “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.” He underscored the importance of collaboration and vigilance in addressing the risks posed by the virus.
This marks the second outbreak of Marburg virus disease reported in Kagera. In 2023, nine cases were confirmed, resulting in six fatalities.
The Marburg virus, formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, first identified in 1967 following outbreaks in Germany and Serbia, is a highly infectious disease with symptoms resembling Ebola. These include nausea, vomiting, sore throat, severe abdominal pain, and, in severe cases, fatal hemorrhaging. Transmission occurs through contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.
To curb the spread, the WHO recommends minimizing human-to-human contact and isolating suspected cases. Tourists and researchers are also advised to avoid prolonged exposure to areas with fruit bat colonies, which are natural hosts of the virus.
In recent years, Africa has seen multiple outbreaks of Marburg virus disease. Equatorial Guinea reported cases in 2023, Ghana experienced an outbreak in 2022, and Uganda recorded three fatalities in 2017.
