Marburg Disease Outbreak Confirmed in Tanzania
By Staff
Posted January 21, 2025 12:45 pm
Updated January 21, 2025 12:54 pm
1 min read
Tanzania’s president said Monday that one sample from a remote part of northern Tanzania tested positive for Marburg disease, which is caused by a highly infectious virus that can be fatal in up to 88 per cent of cases without treatment.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan spoke in Dodoma, the capital, alongside World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
WHO was the first to report on Jan. 14 a suspected outbreak of Marburg that had killed eight people in Tanzania’s Kagera region. Tanzanian health officials disputed the report hours later, saying tests on samples had returned negative results.
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Hassan said Monday that further tests had confirmed a case of Marburg. Twenty-five other samples were negative, she said.
Like Ebola, the Marburg virus originates in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with surfaces, such as contaminated bedsheets.
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Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting and in some cases death from extreme blood loss. There is no authorized vaccine or treatment for Marburg.
This is the second outbreak of Marburg in Kagera since 2023. It comes exactly a month after Rwanda, which shares a border with Kagera, declared its own outbreak of the disease was over.
Rwandan officials reported a total of 15 deaths and 66 cases in the outbreak first declared on Sept. 27, with the majority of those affected health care workers who handled the first patients.
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Conclusion
The Marburg disease outbreak in Tanzania highlights the importance of continued vigilance and preparedness in the face of infectious diseases. As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that we remain focused on preventing and responding to outbreaks like Marburg.
FAQs
Q: What is Marburg disease?
A: Marburg disease is a highly infectious and often fatal viral disease caused by the Marburg virus.
Q: How is Marburg disease transmitted?
A: Marburg disease is transmitted through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with surfaces, such as contaminated bedsheets.
Q: Is there a vaccine or treatment for Marburg disease?
A: No, there is no authorized vaccine or treatment for Marburg disease.
Q: What is being done to respond to the outbreak in Tanzania?
A: The World Health Organization and local health authorities are working together to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread of the disease.