Tanzania has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera region of northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease similar to Ebola, is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and monkeys. This marks the country’s second encounter with the virus, following an outbreak in Bukoba District, also in Kagera, in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.
In response to the outbreak, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is mobilizing support to help Tanzania contain the disease. A team of 12 public health experts will be deployed in the next 24 hours as part of an advance mission. The team will include epidemiologists, risk communication experts, infection prevention and control (IPC) specialists, and laboratory experts to assist with surveillance, diagnostics, and community engagement.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya has engaged with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the country’s health minister to coordinate efforts and secure political support for the response.
“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania during this critical moment,” Dr. Kaseya said in a statement. “To support the government’s efforts, we are committing $2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management. Building on Tanzania’s successful response during the 2023 outbreak, we are confident that swift action, combined with our support and that of other partners, will help bring this outbreak under control.”
Africa CDC has recently supported efforts to enhance diagnostic and sequencing capacity in Tanzania’s public health laboratories. PCR test kits and genomic sequencing reagents have been dispatched, with additional supplies in the pipeline. The CDC will also provide technical assistance to improve case detection and genome sequencing for better characterization of the pathogen. In addition, the organization will support the improvement of case management protocols and the capacity to deliver safe and effective treatments.
Africa CDC is working closely with the Government of Tanzania, regional partners, international organizations, and global stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, to stop the spread of the Marburg virus.
