Tanzanian President Samia Sukhulu Hassan has confirmed the outbreak of the Marburg virus

Tanzania’s president has declared an outbreak of the Marburg virus, a virus similar to Ebola, just a week after its health minister denied there were any cases in the country.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan told a press conference on Monday that health authorities had confirmed one case of Marburg in the northwestern Kagera region.

“We are confident that we will overcome this challenge again,” Samia said, referring to a previous outbreak in Tanzania two years ago.

On January 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a suspected Marburg outbreak in the country after registering nine suspected cases and eight deaths in five days in Kagera.

But Tanzania’s health minister, Jenista Mkhagama, said in a statement that after samples were analyzed, all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg.

At a press briefing on Monday held jointly with the WHO, President Samia said her government had stepped up efforts and that a rapid response team had been dispatched to follow up on all suspected cases.

Marburg is highly infected, with symptoms including fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, and in some cases death due to heavy blood loss.

On average, the virus kills half of the people it infects, according to the WHO.

Tanzania says that along with one confirmed case, authorities have taken samples from another 24 people suspected of having Marburg. All these tests are negative.

Meanwhile, the cause of the eight deaths reported by the WHO has not yet been revealed.

Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023. in the Bukoba area. It killed six people and lasted nearly two months.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the global risk from the current outbreak in Tanzania was “low”.

“Although there are no approved treatments or vaccines, outbreaks can be stopped quickly,” he said. “The WHO advises against imposing restrictions. Now is the time to collaborate.”

On Thursday, the Africa CDC, the African Union’s public health agency, said more than 300 contacts had been identified for further testing. Healthcare workers made up 56 of these contacts, while 16 of the list were known to have had direct contact with those suspected of having Marburg.

The 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR). require countries to report public health events and emergencies that may cross borders. Kagera is a transit hub with many people traveling to and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

In December, neighboring Rwanda announced that the country’s outbreak, which infected 66 people and killed 15, was over.

Marburg virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and then through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals.

There is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus, although trials are underway.