Hours after Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared a case of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the Kagera region, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced the deployment of 12 health experts to assist the Tanzanian government in controlling the outbreak.
The team, which includes epidemiologists, risk communication specialists, infection prevention and control (IPC) experts, and laboratory professionals, will provide critical on-ground support in areas such as surveillance, diagnostics, IPC, and community engagement. The deployment is set to occur within the next 24 hours.
President Samia made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. She confirmed one case of Marburg virus in Kagera.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya affirmed that he has been in close contact with President Samia and Tanzania’s Minister of Health to ensure a coordinated and politically supported response.
“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania in this critical moment. To support the government’s efforts, we are committing US$2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management,” Dr. Kaseya stated.
This announcement follows recent claims by Tanzania’s Ministry of Health that there were no confirmed cases of Marburg virus, as test results from samples had previously returned negative.
The Marburg virus is a highly infectious and often fatal disease, similar to Ebola, that is transmitted to humans through fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks Tanzania’s second experience with the virus, following the March 2023 outbreak in the Bukoba District of Kagera, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.
