Tanzania has rejected claims of a suspected Marburg virus outbreak in the north-western Kagera region following an alert from the World Health Organisation.
On Tuesday, WHO reported nine suspected cases of the deadly virus over five days, including eight deaths.
However, Tanzania’s Health Minister, Jenista Mhagama, confirmed that all samples tested negative for Marburg.
In a statement, Mhagama said, “We would like to assure the international organisations, including WHO, that we shall always keep them up to date with ongoing developments.” She also noted that the country had strengthened its surveillance and disease monitoring systems.
The WHO had raised concerns, warning of potential further cases due to improved disease surveillance. WHO Chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We do not recommend travel or trade restrictions with Tanzania at this time.”
Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023 in the Bukoba district, which resulted in six deaths and lasted nearly two months. The virus is highly infectious and similar to Ebola, with symptoms like fever, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, death caused by extreme blood loss.
The WHO added that rapid response teams had been deployed to Kagera to monitor suspected cases and contain any possible spread. Despite WHO’s caution about the region’s high risk due to cross-border movements, the global risk from the outbreak was described as “low.”
The Marburg virus, which is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals, has no specific treatment or vaccine, though trials are ongoing.
