Tanzania Confirms Marburg Case Amid Health Concerns

Virus is highly contagious

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Posted Jan 20, 2025 8:41 AM CST

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Tanzania Confirms Marburg Case Amid Health Concerns — A medical worker carries a meal to an isolation tent housing a man being quarantined after coming into contact with a carrier of the Marburg Virus, at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Tanzania has confirmed a positive case of Marburg virus in a remote northern region. Marburg is a lethal pathogen, with a mortality rate of up to 88% in untreated cases. This virus, akin to Ebola, originates from fruit bats and transmits through close contact with infected individuals' bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. As of now, no vaccines or treatments have received approval to counteract it.

The symptoms of Marburg include fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. In severe situations, afflicted individuals may face fatal outcomes due to extreme blood loss. The confirmation of a Marburg case heightens concerns about the potential spread of this highly contagious disease in Tanzania. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stood by President Samia Suluhu in Dar es Salaam for Monday's announcement. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)