On Thursday, Tanzania’s government refuted reports of a suspected outbreak of the deadly Marburg disease in the northwest region of the country. This denial follows a statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, which indicated that nine possible cases had been reported last week in the remote Kagera region, with eight individuals reportedly having died.

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WHO Reports Outbreak of Marburg Virus in Tanzania

In response to the initial news, local residents began altering their behaviors to mitigate potential risks. “We have refrained from greeting each other by shaking hands, as was the custom in the past,” shared local man Finton Ishengoma. “Instead, we greet from a distance while continuing to follow the guidance of health experts on how to protect ourselves from this disease.”

However, Tanzania’s Health Minister Jenista Mhagama announced that after testing samples from the suspected cases, all results returned negative for the Ebola-like virus. She emphasized that the country has bolstered its surveillance systems and disease monitoring as a precautionary measure.

The reports of suspected cases emerged shortly after an outbreak of Marburg in neighboring Rwanda was declared over. The Marburg virus is known for its high fatality rate, which can reach up to 88%. The WHO had previously warned that the risk of transmission in the region was “high,” given that Kagera serves as a transit hub connecting several countries.

Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and spreads among humans through close contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as bed sheets. Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, death due to extreme blood loss. Currently, there is no authorized vaccine or treatment available for Marburg disease.

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