WHO Warns of High Risk as Suspected Marburg Outbreak in Tanzania Claims 8 Lives

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about a suspected outbreak of Marburg virus in Tanzania’s Kagera region, which has already claimed the lives of eight people. WHO reported nine cases, including the eight fatalities, and expressed concern over the potential for further spread as disease surveillance improves. The agency raised the risk assessment to “high” both nationally and regionally, citing the high fatality rate of the disease, geographic spread across districts, and the possibility of cross-border transmission to neighboring countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.

Marburg, a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, has a fatality rate that can reach 90%. It is typically transmitted from fruit bats and through contact with infected bodily fluids. The outbreak comes less than a month after a similar Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, which also resulted in multiple deaths.

While the WHO emphasized that Marburg is not easily spread, it urged neighboring countries to remain on alert. The global risk remains low for now, but WHO called for heightened surveillance and preparedness in the region.