United States: The World Health Organization (WHO) disclosed on Wednesday that a presumptive outbreak of Marburg virus disease has claimed the lives of eight individuals in a secluded area in northern Tanzania.
“As of now, there are nine recorded cases, with eight fatalities,” stated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General, in an official communiqué. “We anticipate additional cases to emerge in the forthcoming days as surveillance efforts intensify,” according to the reports by ABC News.
Closely akin to Ebola, the Marburg virus is harbored by fruit bats and transmits among humans via direct exposure to bodily fluids of infected persons or through contaminated surfaces such as soiled linens.
Without medical intervention, Marburg can lead to mortality in as many as 88% of those afflicted. The disease manifests through symptoms like high fever, muscular discomfort, severe diarrhea, nausea, and, in extreme scenarios, fatal hemorrhaging. Presently, no licensed vaccine or definitive treatment exists to combat Marburg.
WHO has evaluated the risk of this potential outbreak in Tanzania as significant on national and regional scales, although it remains minimal on a global level. Tanzanian health officials have yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, as per the reports by ABC News.
A prior Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, first identified on September 27, reached its conclusion on December 20. The Rwandan government recorded a total of 66 cases and 15 fatalities, predominantly affecting healthcare workers who attended to the initial wave of patients.
In 2023, an outbreak of Marburg virus in Kagera, a region bordering Rwanda, resulted in at least five fatalities.
