Tanzania has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg, a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever, with eight confirmed cases and five deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The confirmation by Tanzania’s national public laboratory came after the deaths of five people in the northwest Kagera region who developed symptoms similar to those of Ebola. The symptoms include fever, vomiting, bleeding and renal failure.
Marburg is a rare but deadly disease that belongs to the same virus family responsible for Ebola. Like Ebola, Marburg is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids of infected people or animals.
The Marburg virus was first identified in 1967, after a laboratory outbreak in Marburg, Germany. Since then, there have been sporadic outbreaks of the virus in Africa, with the last major outbreak occurring in Angola in 2005, when 252 people were infected and 227 died.
The WHO has described Marburg as a “severe and often fatal illness” that can have a mortality rate of up to 88 percent. The disease causes severe bleeding, fever, and organ failure, and can lead to death within a week of infection.
Tanzania’s outbreak comes just a month after Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease. The WHO has intensified surveillance in the Central African nation, deploying health emergency experts in epidemiology, case management, infection prevention, laboratory, and risk communication to boost the country’s response.
“The confirmation of Marburg virus disease in Tanzania is a reminder that we must remain vigilant against the threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“The WHO is working closely with the Tanzanian government to respond to the outbreak and prevent the spread of the disease.”
The WHO has said that Tanzania’s health authorities have acted swiftly to establish the cause of the disease and contain its spread. The organization has deployed a team of experts to the region to help with the response.
“The efforts by Tanzania’s health authorities to establish the cause of the disease is a clear indication of the determination to effectively respond to the outbreak,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.
“We are working with the government to rapidly scale up control measures to halt the spread of the virus.”
As of now, three of the eight confirmed cases are receiving treatment even as 161 contacts are being monitored. The WHO has called for increased surveillance and public awareness campaigns to prevent the spread of the disease.
“The Marburg outbreak in Tanzania is a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by infectious diseases, and the need for continued investment in public health infrastructure and emergency preparedness,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust.
“We must work together to strengthen global health security and ensure that all countries are prepared to respond to emerging infectious diseases like Marburg.”
The WHO has warned that Marburg and other emerging infectious diseases pose a serious threat to global health security, and called for increased investment in disease surveillance, research, and preparedness.
The Marburg outbreak in Tanzania is a stark reminder of the need for continued vigilance and preparedness in the face of emerging infectious diseases. With the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that we must remain alert to the threat of other deadly diseases like Marburg and take proactive steps to prevent their spread.
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