The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed an outbreak of suspected Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Tanzania. The WHO posted the outbreak on its website on Tuesday, stating that the source of the infection is currently unknown.
The WHO has formed an impression that the risk of the suspected MVD outbreak is high at the national level due to various concerning factors. The regional risk is also considered high because the Kagera region, where the outbreak is concentrated, serves as a major transit hub. Although there is no confirmed international spread at this time, there are concerns about potential risks.
The WHO provided the following details on the situation:
"On January 13, 2025, WHO notified its Member States and International Health Regulations (IHR) State Parties about the suspected MVD outbreak in the Kagera region of Tanzania through its secure web-based platform, the Event Information Site (EIS). This platform is used to issue rapid alerts to Member States about acute public health risks with potential international implications.
Reliable reports from local sources indicated on January 10, 2025, that there were suspected cases of MVD in Kagera. As of then, six individuals had been affected, five of whom had died. Symptoms of the disease included headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhoea, vomiting blood (haematemesis), body weakness (malaise), and, in later stages, external bleeding.
By January 11, 2025, a total of nine suspected cases had been reported, including eight deaths, resulting in a high case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 89%. The affected areas spanned two districts: Biharamulo and Muleba. Samples from two patients have been collected and are being tested at the National Public Health Laboratory, with results pending. Contact tracing is ongoing, and healthcare workers in both districts are being monitored.
The region had previously experienced an MVD outbreak in March 2023, which lasted nearly two months and resulted in nine cases, including six deaths. Zoonotic reservoirs such as fruit bats remain endemic to the area.
The WHO has deployed national rapid response teams to investigate and manage the outbreak. Surveillance and contact tracing have been intensified, and laboratory samples from recent cases have been sent for confirmation. A mobile laboratory has been set up in Kagera, and treatment units have been established.
The WHO highlighted several factors contributing to the high national risk assessment, including the high CFR of 89%, the involvement of healthcare workers among the suspected cases (which increases the risk of hospital transmission), and the unknown source of the outbreak. The presence of suspected cases across two districts suggests the outbreak may be spreading geographically. Delays in case detection and isolation, combined with ongoing contact tracing, suggest that more cases may emerge.
Regional risk remains high due to Kagera's strategic location as a transit hub with significant cross-border movement to neighbouring countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some of the suspected cases are in districts near international borders, which raises concerns about potential cross-border spread. While MVD is not easily transmissible (typically requiring direct contact with the bodily fluids of symptomatic patients or contaminated surfaces), there is still concern about individuals who may have been exposed to the virus while travelling.
The global risk is currently considered low, as there has been no confirmed international spread. However, the region’s connectivity through transportation networks, including an airport linking to Dar es Salaam, emphasizes the need for enhanced surveillance and coordination with neighbouring countries to prevent further spread.
The WHO advises individuals to take protective measures to reduce human exposure to the virus and stresses the importance of raising public awareness and engaging local communities in controlling the outbreak. The organization also recommended that there be no travel or trade restrictions on Tanzania at this time, based on the current risk assessment."
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