Tanzania in the present day confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus illness within the northwestern Kagera area after one case examined constructive for the virus following investigations and laboratory evaluation of suspected instances of the illness.
President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement throughout a press briefing alongside World Well being Group (WHO) Director-Normal, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, within the nation’s administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory exams performed at Kabaile Cellular Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam recognized one affected person as being contaminated with the Marburg virus. Luckily, the remaining suspected sufferers examined adverse,” the president stated. “We now have demonstrated previously our means to comprise the same outbreak and are decided to do the identical this time round.”
A complete of 25 suspected instances have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have examined adverse and are at present underneath shut follow-up, the president stated. The instances have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We now have resolved to reassure most of the people in Tanzania and the worldwide neighborhood as an entire of our collective dedication to handle the worldwide well being challenges, together with the Marburg virus illness,” stated H.E President Hassan.
WHO is supporting Tanzanian well being authorities to boost key outbreak management measures together with illness surveillance, testing, remedy, an infection prevention and management, case administration, in addition to rising public consciousness amongst communities to stop additional unfold of the virus.
“WHO, working with its companions, is dedicated to supporting the federal government of Tanzania to convey the outbreak underneath management as quickly as potential, and to construct a more healthy, safer, fairer future for all of the folks of Tanzania,” stated Dr Tedros. “Now could be a time for collaboration, and dedication, to defending the well being of all folks in Tanzania, and the area, from the dangers posed by this illness.”
Marburg virus illness is very virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the identical household because the virus that causes Ebola virus illness. Sickness attributable to Marburg virus begins abruptly. Sufferers current with excessive fever, extreme headache and extreme malaise. They could develop extreme haemorrhagic signs inside seven days.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the federal government are essential in addressing the specter of this illness on the native and nationwide ranges in addition to stopping potential cross-border unfold,” stated Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our precedence is to help the federal government to quickly scale up measures to successfully reply to this outbreak and safeguard the well being of the inhabitants,”
Tanzania beforehand reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the nation’s first – in Kagera area, wherein a complete of 9 instances (eight confirmed and one possible) and 6 deaths had been reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.
Within the African area, earlier outbreaks and sporadic instances have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Marburg virus is transmitted to folks from fruit bats and spreads amongst people via direct contact with the bodily fluids of contaminated folks, surfaces and supplies. Though a number of promising candidate medical countermeasures are at present present process scientific trials, there is no such thing as a licensed remedy or vaccine for efficient administration or prevention of Marburg virus illness. Nonetheless, early entry to remedy and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and remedy of particular signs, enhance survival.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Well being Group – United Republic of Tanzania.
