Health Minister assures public after negative tests from suspected cases in Kagera region.
Tanzania Refutes WHO Claims of New Marburg Virus Outbreak
Tanzania Refutes WHO Claims of New Marburg Virus Outbreak
Tanzanian authorities insist there is no Marburg virus outbreak, contradicting WHO's alerts.
Tanzania has officially rejected a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning regarding a suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus, a deadly virus with similarities to Ebola. The WHO disclosed recently that there were nine suspected cases reported within five days in the Kagera region, resulting in eight fatalities. However, Tanzanian Health Minister Jenista Mhagama announced that laboratory analyses conducted on samples returned negative results for the Marburg virus.
Mhanga emphasized the country's commitment to transparent communication with global health bodies, stating that Tanzania has enhanced its disease surveillance and monitoring efforts. The Minister's remarks come after Tanzania experienced its inaugural outbreak of the Marburg virus earlier this year, which lasted nearly two months and claimed six lives in the Bukoba district.
Furthermore, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that improved disease surveillance may yield additional cases in the coming days. He also noted that patients, including healthcare personnel, are being monitored as teams have been dispatched to assist with identifying potential cases.
The WHO has labeled the risk of Marburg virus transmission in the Kagera region as "high," given its status as a cross-border transit zone that connects Tanzania with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. Nevertheless, the organization does not recommend any travel or trade bans with Tanzania.
The Marburg virus, which is often fatal, is carried by fruit bats and can spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected persons. There are currently no specific treatments or vaccines available, although clinical trials are ongoing. As a recent example, Rwanda had declared an outbreak earlier this year, which affected 66 individuals and resulted in 15 fatalities. According to the WHO, Marburg virus has an average mortality rate of 50 percent among those infected.
Mhanga emphasized the country's commitment to transparent communication with global health bodies, stating that Tanzania has enhanced its disease surveillance and monitoring efforts. The Minister's remarks come after Tanzania experienced its inaugural outbreak of the Marburg virus earlier this year, which lasted nearly two months and claimed six lives in the Bukoba district.
Furthermore, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that improved disease surveillance may yield additional cases in the coming days. He also noted that patients, including healthcare personnel, are being monitored as teams have been dispatched to assist with identifying potential cases.
The WHO has labeled the risk of Marburg virus transmission in the Kagera region as "high," given its status as a cross-border transit zone that connects Tanzania with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. Nevertheless, the organization does not recommend any travel or trade bans with Tanzania.
The Marburg virus, which is often fatal, is carried by fruit bats and can spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected persons. There are currently no specific treatments or vaccines available, although clinical trials are ongoing. As a recent example, Rwanda had declared an outbreak earlier this year, which affected 66 individuals and resulted in 15 fatalities. According to the WHO, Marburg virus has an average mortality rate of 50 percent among those infected.
