United States: A new health scare which is unfolding after a sample from a remote region tested positive for Marburg disease and also a highly infectious virus with a staggering fatality rate of up to almost like 88% if left untreated. Health officials are now like scrambling to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread of this deadly virus, which has already caused outbreaks in other parts of Africa.
As reported by the Associate Press, President Samia Suluhu Hassan made the remarks in Dodoma, the country’s capital during a speech with the WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
WHO was the first to report on Jan 14 of a suspected Marburg outbreak in Kagera region Tanzania where eight people had died. Tanzanian health officials dismissed the report a few hours later claiming that samples that had been taken for testing also tested negative.
As reported by the Hassan said Monday that subsequent tests had revealed a case of Marburg. Twenty-five other samples were negative, she said.
Similar to Ebola, Marburg virus is acquired from fruit bats and transmitted between people through the contact of direct body fluids of infected patients or touching objects that have been in contact with the virus perhaps bedsheets.
Others are fever, back and joint aches, loose black bowel movements, vomiting and in severe cases, death through haemorrhaging. As of now there is like no approved vaccine or drugs for the virus that caused Marburg.
This is the second time that the Marburg virus has reoccurred in Kagera since 2023. It arrives exactly a month since its southern neighbor, Rwanda, which has a border with Kagera, declared that it had eliminated the disease.
Rwandan officials said that the total number of deaths was 15 and total number of cases 66 was the result of the outbreak that was first reported on September 27.
Marburg Virus Disease Overview
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is an intense hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, a member of the Filoviridae family, including the Ebola virus.
The disease was first identified in 1967 following simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia, linked to laboratory work with African green monkeys imported from Uganda.
Marburg virus disease is characterized by sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, muscle pains, and, in severe cases, bleeding manifestations. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days.
Recent Outbreak in Tanzania
On January 20, 2025, the Tanzanian government declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the Kagera region. As of February 10, 2025, a total of ten cases (two confirmed and eight probable) have been reported, all of whom have died.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working closely with Tanzanian health authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
Transmission and Symptoms
Marburg virus is transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, contaminated surfaces, and materials.
The virus can also be transmitted through exposure to Rousettus aegyptiacus fruit bats, which are considered natural hosts. Symptoms of Marburg virus disease include high fever, severe headache, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, bleeding from various orifices. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days.
Prevention and Control Measures
Currently, there are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for Marburg virus disease (MVD). Supportive care, such as rehydration and symptomatic treatment, can improve survival rates. Preventive measures include avoiding contact with fruit bats and infected individuals, using protective equipment when caring for patients, and ensuring safe burial practices.
Public health education and community engagement are crucial in controlling outbreaks.
