Officials were worried after a suspected outbreak of a nearly-fatal virus broke out in a new country, with chiefs at the World Health Organisation announcing they were monitoring the situation
The World Health Organisation have announced a new virus outbreak has killed at least eight people in a new country.
A virus named Marburg has broken out in Tanzania and has been reported in two districts of the Kagera region in the country’s northwest. The illness is known for its high fatality risk and WHO are promptly looking into a total of nine suspected in the area. There are worries about the illness spreading, as the location of the outbreak is highly populated, and used as a “hub.”
Taking to social media, WHO announced the news and also shared updates about their investigation. Currently, the virus is known to cause muscle pain, weakness, headaches and a fever.
“We would expect further cases in coming days as disease surveillance improves,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
Samples have been taken from two patients who are suspected to have contracted the virus. Results will confirm whether it is the marburg virus or not.
The tests will take place at Tanzania’s national laboratory, the United Nations body said. The patients’ contacts, including healthcare workers, have been identified and were being followed up.
Adding to worries, WHO warned that the risk of further spread in Tanzania and the region was “high.” This is because Kagera’s location acts as a transit hub.
The area has many cross-border movement towards neighbouring Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Despite this, WHO have added that the global risk is currently assessed as “low.” This could change in time.
The viral fever has a fatality rate as high as 88% in previous outbreaks. It is from the same family as the one responsible for Ebola, which is transmitted to people from fruit bats.
The virus can spread between people through direct contact or via blood and other bodily fluids of infected people, including contaminated bedding or clothing.
There has never been a confirmed case of Marburg in the UK, but WHO are working on containing and eventually eradicating the illness. Currently, there is no vaccine for the virus.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.