Tanzania confirms first-ever outbreak of deadly Marburg Virus Disease
Tanzania confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg Virus Disease after conducting laboratory tests in the country’s northwest Kagera region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Tanzania confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg Virus Disease after conducting laboratory tests in the country’s northwest Kagera region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Lab tests were carried out after eight people in the region developed symptoms of the “highly virulent” disease, including fever, vomiting, bleeding, and kidney failure.
Five of the eight confirmed cases have died, including a health worker, and the remaining three are being treated. The agency also identified 161 contacts of those infected, who are currently being monitored.
“The efforts by Tanzania’s health authorities to establish the cause of the disease is a clear indication of the determination to effectively respond to the outbreak. We are working with the government to rapidly scale up control measures to halt the spread of the virus and end the outbreak as soon as possible,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.
Today, #Tanzania 🇹🇿 confirmed its first-ever cases of #Marburg virus disease after laboratory tests were carried out following reports of cases and deaths in the country’s north-west Kagera region 👉🏿 https://t.co/05bQ4x4iYLhttps://t.co/KOsu2Nqyq8
WHOAFRO
While this is the first time Tanzania has recorded a Marburg case, the country has first-hand experience responding to other crises including COVID-19, cholera, and dengue within the past three years. In September 2022, The UN health agency conducted a strategic risk assessment that revealed the country is at high to very high risk for infectious diseases outbreaks.
“The lessons learnt, and progress made during other recent outbreaks should stand the country in good stead as it confronts this latest challenge,” said Dr Moeti. “We will continue to work closely with the national health authorities to save lives.”
Marburg virus commonly causes hemorrhagic fever, with a high fatality ratio of up to 88 per cent.
It is part of the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. Symptoms associated with the Marburg virus start suddenly, with high fever, severe headache, and intense malaise, said WHO.
The virus is commonly transmitted to humans from fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces, and materials.
While there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus, supportive care, rehydration, and treatment of specific symptoms increase chances of survival.
© UN News (2023) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: UN News
Where next?
Browse related news topics:
Read the latest news stories:
- With God on Our Side: Netanyahu, Trump, and Putin Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Hunger Is Ravaging the Bodies of Syrian Children, Stunting Their Growth Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Number of women killed in war doubled in 2023: UN report Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Gaza: Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in the north Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- 69 Years of Development in Gaza Erased by Israel-Hamas War Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- The IMF Just Made the Case for its Own Irrelevance Wednesday, October 23, 2024
- Another Nobel for Anglocentric Neoliberal Institutional Economics Tuesday, October 22, 2024
- UN Announces Embargo on Arms in Haiti Tuesday, October 22, 2024
- Russia-Africa: Developing Media Partnership Tuesday, October 22, 2024
- COP16 – Is This Our Last Chance to Save Nature? Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Learn more about the related issues: