The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on January 15 that a suspected outbreak of Marburg disease has resulted in eight fatalities in a remote area of northern Tanzania.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that there have been nine cases so far, with eight deaths. He stated, "We anticipate more cases in the coming days as disease surveillance efforts intensify."
Marburg, like Ebola, is caused by a virus that originates in fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as bedding. The disease has a fatality rate of up to 88% without treatment, with symptoms including fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, death due to significant blood loss. There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for Marburg.
The WHO assessed the outbreak's risk as high at the national and regional levels, but low on a global scale. Tanzanian health authorities have not yet issued a response.
A Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, first reported on September 27, was declared over on December 20, after claiming 15 lives and infecting 66 individuals, primarily healthcare workers who treated the initial cases.
Additionally, a 2023 Marburg outbreak in Kagera, near the Rwanda border, resulted in at least five deaths.
Source: AP
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