Kathy
Jan 16 Wednesday, Tanzania: A suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus in northwest Tanzania has resulted in the deaths of eight people. Nine cases were reported in total, according to the World Health Organization.
The outbreak, which was reported on January 15, 2025, is considered to have a high risk to the country and its neighbors due to the geographic spread of the disease. The Marburg virus, similar to Ebola, causes a severe type of hemorrhagic fever with symptoms including fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases, death through extreme blood loss.
The World Health Organization reported that the suspected cases were located in two districts of the Kagera region in northwest Tanzania. The symptoms included headaches, high fevers, back pain, diarrhea, vomiting with blood, and weakness.
The viral hemorrhagic fever has a fatality rate of 88% and is transmitted to people from fruit bats, which are endemic to that part of East Africa.
The WHO considers the regional risk from Marburg virus disease to be high because Kagera is a transport hub, and officials expect more cases to be identified as disease surveillance improves.
This outbreak comes after a separate outbreak of the disease was declared over in neighboring Rwanda, which saw more than 60 people infected and at least 15 deaths by the end of November 2024. Keep Reading Questiqa World for more updates.
Olivia
Stacy
