Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, confirmed on Monday that a sample from a remote area in northern Tanzania tested positive for the deadly Marburg virus. This announcement came during a press conference in Dodoma, where she was joined by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The WHO had reported a suspected outbreak of Marburg in the Kagera region on January 14, revealing that the disease had claimed the lives of eight individuals. However, initial tests were disputed by Tanzanian health authorities, who reported negative results. Subsequent testing, however, confirmed a case of Marburg, raising alarm across the country and internationally.
Marburg, a highly contagious virus similar to Ebola, is primarily transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces. The virus originates in fruit bats and can spread quickly in close-knit communities.
The symptoms of Marburg include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, and severe cases may lead to death from extreme blood loss. The virus has a fatality rate ranging from 50% to 88%, depending on the severity of the outbreak. Currently, there is no authorized vaccine or treatment for the virus, which only adds to the urgency of the situation.
The WHO has described the onset of the disease as sudden, with symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, and fatigue appearing initially. As the disease progresses, patients may suffer from severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and, in some cases, confusion, irritability, and aggression. Non-itchy rashes have been reported between days 2 and 7 after the initial symptoms.
This marks the second Marburg outbreak in Tanzania’s Kagera region since 2023. The news comes just one month after neighboring Rwanda declared its own Marburg outbreak over. Rwanda’s outbreak, first reported on September 27, resulted in 15 deaths and 66 cases, with healthcare workers among the hardest-hit.
Health officials are now on high alert as the outbreak unfolds, with many fearing the virus could spread beyond the region. Marburg’s potential for rapid transmission and its high mortality rate make it a major concern for public health authorities worldwide.
Tanzanian authorities, in collaboration with the WHO, are working to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread, but the global community remains on edge as the situation develops.
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