Marbug Virus Disease Outbreak in Tanzania Declared Over
Marbug Virus Disease In Tanzania declared over toda by the Minister of Health Ummy Mwalimu.
Tanzania has officially declared the end of the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak that began over two months ago in the Kagera region. This was the first outbreak of the disease in the country.
A total of nine cases, including six deaths, were recorded during the outbreak. The national health authorities, along with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organizations, responded quickly to contain the virus and save lives.
WHO has been working with countries in Africa to strengthen their preparedness and response to health emergencies. In Tanzania, teams of responders, trained in March 2023 and 2022 during the neighboring Uganda’s Sudan Virus Disease outbreak, played a crucial role in controlling the Marburg outbreak.
The WHO office in Tanzania deployed outbreak response experts to enhance surveillance, testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, treatment, and community engagement.
[ad1]They also provided personal protective equipment and are supporting survivors of the disease in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the importance of investments in preparing for and responding to health emergencies in the region. Thanks to these efforts, Tanzania was able to end the Marburg outbreak and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of this highly infectious disease.
Marburg virus causes a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola. It is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids, surfaces, and materials. There are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for Marburg, but supportive care and treatment of symptoms can improve survival rates.
Previous outbreaks and isolated cases of Marburg have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, and Uganda.
Ministry of Health Official Statement
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