The president of Tanzania has declared an outbreak of the Marburg virus, which is similar to Ebola, a week after her health minister denied that any cases had been reported in the nation.
On Monday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at a press conference that one Marburg case had been confirmed in the northwest Kagera district by health authorities.
Samia remarked, “We are confident that we will overcome this challenge once again,” alluding to an outbreak that occurred in Tanzania two years ago.
In Kagera, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a probable Marburg epidemic on January 14 after noting eight fatalities and nine suspected cases over five days.
However, in a statement, Tanzania’s Health Minister Jenista Mhagama confirmed that all suspected patients tested negative for Marburg after samples were examined.
President Samia claimed her government has increased its efforts and that a quick response team has been sent to follow up on all suspected cases during Monday’s press briefing, which was organised in collaboration with the WHO.
Fever, muscle aches, diarrhoea, vomiting, and, in certain situations, death from severe blood loss are all signs of Marburg, which is extremely contagious.
According to the WHO, the virus typically kills 50% of those infected.
Tanzania claims that authorities collected samples from 24 additional individuals suspected of having Marburg in addition to the one confirmed case. All of these had negative test results.
The WHO has confirmed eight deaths, although the cause has not yet been identified.
In March 2023, the Bukoba district of Tanzania saw its first Marburg outbreak. It lasted for almost two months and claimed six lives.
The current outbreak in Tanzania poses a “low” risk to the world, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Even though there is no approved treatment or vaccine, outbreaks can be stopped quickly,” he stated. “WHO recommends against limitations. The time for cooperation is now.”
The public health body of the African Union, Africa CDC, announced on Thursday that over 300 contacts had been discovered for additional testing.
Sixteen of the contacts on the list are known to have had direct contact with people suspected of having Marburg, and 56 of these connections are health personnel.
Reporting cross-border public health occurrences and crises is mandated under the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR). Many people travel to and from Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Kagera, which serves as a transit hub.
An outbreak that had killed 15 people and infected 66 was proclaimed to be over in adjacent Rwanda in December.
Humans contract the Marburg virus from fruit bats and subsequently from coming into contact with the body fluids of infected people.
Despite ongoing investigations, there are currently no particular therapies or vaccines for the virus.
