Tanzania confirmed a new outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the Kagera region after an initial denial, marking a significant health challenge for the nation. On January 14, authorities reported nine suspected cases, resulting in eight deaths over just five days. The World Health Organization (WHO) disclosed that Marburg kills approximately half of those it infects, underscoring the urgency of the situation. President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced that her government is intensifying efforts to contain the virus, deploying a rapid response team to manage and trace all suspected cases.
Marburg, a highly infectious virus, presents with symptoms such as fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, and vomiting. In severe cases, it can lead to death through extreme blood loss. The virus originates from fruit bats and can be transmitted to humans through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. This makes controlling its spread a significant public health challenge. Currently, WHO has identified over 300 contacts for further testing, including 56 health workers and 16 individuals with direct contact with suspected cases.
The new outbreak follows Tanzania's first encounter with the Marburg virus in March 2023 in the Bukoba district, which lasted nearly two months and resulted in six fatalities. The cause of the recent eight deaths remains undisclosed by WHO, heightening concerns in the region. Kagera's status as a transit hub complicates containment efforts due to frequent cross-border travel with neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda.
Despite the alarming situation, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the global risk from Tanzania's outbreak is "low." Nevertheless, under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005, countries are mandated to report public health events that could potentially cross borders in order to prevent international spread.
"We are confident that we will overcome this challenge once again."
— President Samia Suluhu Hassan
President Hassan reassured citizens of the government's capability to manage the outbreak effectively. Acknowledging the critical need for international cooperation, WHO urged against imposing restrictions and emphasized collaboration.
"Now is the time for collaboration."
— WHO advises against restrictions
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