ARUSHA, Tanzania — On Wednesday, the World Health Organization announced that an outbreak of suspected Marburg disease has resulted in the deaths of eight individuals in a secluded area of northern Tanzania.
“Currently, we have identified nine cases, with eight fatalities,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “As we enhance our disease surveillance efforts, we anticipate additional cases may emerge in the upcoming days.”

Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus, which has its origins in fruit bats, is transmitted among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected or via surfaces like contaminated bed linens.
Without medical intervention, Marburg can be lethal in as many as 88% of those who contract the disease. Symptoms typically include high fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal issues, vomiting, and in severe instances, death due to significant blood loss. At present, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for Marburg.

The WHO has classified the risk associated with the suspected outbreak in Tanzania as high at both the national and regional levels, while assessing the global risk as low. There has been no immediate response from health officials in Tanzania regarding the outbreak.

Previously, a Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, which began on September 27, was officially declared over on December 20. During that outbreak, Rwandan authorities confirmed a total of 15 deaths and 66 confirmed cases, primarily affecting healthcare personnel who were in contact with the initial patients.
Moreover, a separate outbreak in 2023 in Kagera, a region that borders Rwanda, resulted in at least five fatalities.