
The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with Tanzania to address a confirmed Marburg outbreak in the northwestern Kagera region.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu to evaluate the situation and support containment measures. Their meeting focused on accelerating efforts to control the outbreak and protect vulnerable communities.
Tanzania’s government has escalated its response by strengthening case detection, establishing treatment facilities, and deploying mobile laboratories. National response teams have also been mobilized to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The WHO has reaffirmed its commitment to aiding Tanzania, allocating an additional $3 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies. This financial support aims to bolster critical resources for tackling the outbreak effectively.
Initially denying suspicions of an outbreak, Tanzanian authorities confirmed Monday that one case tested positive for Marburg virus in Kagera. The confirmation followed rigorous investigations and laboratory analyses of suspected cases.
President Suluhu made the announcement during a press briefing in Dodoma, standing alongside Tedros. Her government pledged transparency and swift action to curb the outbreak’s impact.
Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease, belongs to the same family as Ebola and causes severe hemorrhagic fever. Without intervention, it poses a grave threat to public health.