A suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus in Tanzania has killed at least eight people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The high-fatality disease was reported in two districts of the Kagera region in the country’s northwest.
Nine suspected cases have been confirmed, and samples from two patients are being tested for confirmation. Healthcare workers who came into contact with the infected individuals are also under surveillance. The WHO has warned that the risk of further spread is “high” due to Tanzania’s location as a transit hub.
The Marburg virus, which can be transmitted through direct contact or via blood and bodily fluids, has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent. It is part of the same family as Ebola and is usually transmitted from fruit bats to humans.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/15/who-says-at-least-8-dead-in-suspected-marburg-outbreak-in-tanzania