On January 13, the WHO notified member countries about a possible outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Tanzania.
On January 20, the President of Tanzania announced in a press conference that there was indeed an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease in the northwestern region of Kagera, following a confirmed positive case resulting from investigations and laboratory tests of suspected infections.
As per the fourth daily situation report released by the Ministry of Health (MoH), there are currently two confirmed cases, 42 suspected cases, one patient receiving treatment who is bedridden, one confirmed death, and eight probable deaths.
The regional health authorities have performed a total of 42 tests (with 2 confirmed cases) on individuals displaying MVD-like symptoms, and results are pending.
Furthermore, following the contact tracing conducted by regional health teams, the Ministry has identified a total of 281 individuals who have come into contact with those exhibiting MVD-like symptoms.
Reports indicate that suspected cases of Marburg have been identified in the Biharamulo district, located within the Kagera region.
The Kagera region serves as a crucial transit point west of Lake Victoria, sharing borders with Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. There is a considerable level of cross-border movement in the area.
