Tanzania Faces Marburg Virus Outbreak with High Fatality Rate

Tanzania is facing a serious health crisis as the Marburg virus, a lethal relative of Ebola, has re-emerged, infecting nine individuals and resulting in eight fatalities since January 11, 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms and issued a travel warning, emphasizing the urgent need for caution among travelers to the affected northeastern Kagera region. Marburg virus disease is known for its hemorrhagic characteristics and high mortality rate, with the WHO noting that it could reach a fatality rate of up to 88%. Initial symptoms include fever, severe headaches, and muscle pain, progressing to more severe manifestations like vomiting and bleeding from bodily orifices. As there are currently no vaccines or specific treatments available, the WHO has dispatched a team to the region for containment efforts. Healthcare professionals treating infected patients are at heightened risk of exposure, prompting calls for extreme caution. This outbreak comes on the heels of a recent surge in cases in neighboring Rwanda, which had just declared an end to its own Marburg outbreak. Historical data indicates that previous outbreaks have led to substantial loss of life, underscoring the critical nature of the current situation in Tanzania.

The Tanzanian government has confirmed a positive case of Marburg disease in the remote Kagera region, following an outbreak that has already resulted in eight fatalities. President Samia Suluhu Hassan addressed the nation on Monday, alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, revealing that one test returned positive while 25 others were negative. Initial reports of the outbreak surfaced on January 14, prompting concerns over the highly infectious virus, which has a mortality rate of up to 88% without treatment. Marburg disease, similar to Ebola, is transmitted through close contact with infected individuals' bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and in severe cases, death due to extreme blood loss. This marks the second Marburg outbreak in Kagera since 2023, and it arrives shortly after Rwanda declared its previous outbreak over. Rwandan officials had reported 15 deaths and 66 cases during their outbreak, primarily amongst healthcare workers involved in treating the first patients. As health officials monitor the situation closely, there remains no authorized vaccine or treatment available for Marburg, heightening the urgency of public health measures in the region.

Tanzania has confirmed a case of the Marburg virus in a remote area of northern Tanzania, as reported by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday. This announcement follows earlier reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 14 suggesting an outbreak in the Kagera region that had resulted in eight fatalities. Initially, Tanzanian health officials dismissed the WHO's report, stating that preliminary tests were negative. However, further testing has now confirmed one positive case, while 25 additional samples returned negative results. The Marburg virus, which is highly infectious and can have a fatality rate of up to 88% without treatment, is similar to the Ebola virus. It is transmitted from fruit bats to humans and can spread through close contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. The symptoms of Marburg infection include fever, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, death due to extreme bleeding. This incident marks the second outbreak of the Marburg virus in Kagera since 2023. A month prior, Rwanda, which shares a border with Kagera, declared its own outbreak over, having reported 15 deaths and 66 cases among health care workers involved in the initial response. President Hassan expressed confidence in Tanzania's ability to manage and overcome the virus outbreak.