Marburg virus disease is extremely virulent and causes hemorrhagic fever, with a mortality rate of up to 88%.
Tanzania has confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg virus disease after laboratory tests were carried out following reports of cases and deaths in the Kagera region in the northwest of the country, informs the World Health Organization. health (WHO).
Tanzania’s National Public Health Laboratory analyzed samples to determine the cause of the illness after eight people developed symptoms, including fever, vomiting, bleeding and kidney failure. Five of the eight cases, including a healthcare worker, have died and the other three patients are being treated. A total of 161 contacts have been identified and are being followed up.
“The efforts made by the health authorities of Tanzania to establish the cause of the disease is a clear indication of the determination (of the country) to respond effectively against the epidemic. We are working with the government to rapidly expand control measures to stop the spread of the virus and end the outbreak as soon as possible,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director of the World Health Organization ( WHO) for Africa.
WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health to deploy an emergency team to Kagera region to carry out further epidemiological investigations. The emergency team will focus its active research on the local community and health facilities, as well as identifying more contacts to whom it will provide appropriate care.
Although Tanzania has never recorded a case of Marburg before, the country has had to respond to other health emergencies including Covid-19, cholera and dengue over the past three years. A strategic risk assessment conducted by WHO in September 2022 showed that the country has moved to a high to very high risk of infectious disease outbreaks.
“The lessons learned and the progress made during the recent outbreaks should position the country well to face this new challenge,” added Dr Moeti, promising that “we will continue to work closely with health authorities to save lives. . »
Marburg virus disease is extremely virulent and causes hemorrhagic fever, with a mortality rate of up to 88%. The virus belongs to the same family that causes Ebola virus disease.
Marburg virus disease begins suddenly with high fever, severe headache and malaise. Many patients develop severe bleeding symptoms within seven days. The virus is transmitted to people by bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people, contaminated surfaces and objects.
There are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments to treat the virus. Nevertheless, supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms improve the chances of survival.
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