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Deadly Ebola-Like Eye-Bleeding Disease Claims 8 Lives In Tanzania; WHO Warns Of Global Spread
A deadly outbreak of Marburg Virus is being reported in Tanzania's Kagera region and the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a grave warning regarding the same. Often compared to Ebola, this highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has already claimed eight lives, with nine confirmed cases reported. It is being speculated that the virus has a potential of spreading and wreaking havoc, based on the intensified disease surveillance.
The Marburg virus, flagged as a "priority pathogen" by the WHO, is known for its severe and often fatal outcomes. Originating from fruit bats, it spreads among humans through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as bedding. Currently, there is no established cure for the disease, although experimental vaccines and drugs are under development.
The Marburg virus progresses through two distinct phases:
Early Phase SymptomsThe rapid progression of these symptoms underscores the importance of early detection and containment.
The Kagera region outbreak comes months after Rwanda declared its Marburg outbreak over in December 2023, which resulted in 66 cases and 15 deaths. Tanzania, sharing a border with Rwanda, has a history of battling this virus, with five fatalities reported in 2023.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized the need for heightened vigilance. While the WHO assesses the current outbreak's risk as high at the national and regional levels, the global threat remains low. However, the possibility of international spread cannot be ignored, especially with increased mobility and limited healthcare resources in affected regions.
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How To Prevent InfectionThe Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania underscores the critical need for robust healthcare systems, effective surveillance, and public awareness. The WHO and health authorities must collaborate to prevent further spread, especially to neighboring countries and beyond.
The world cannot afford complacency when facing pathogens with pandemic potential. The Marburg virus serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat posed by zoonotic diseases and the importance of global preparedness.
Fears New Ebola-like 'eye-bleeding Disease' Outbreak That's Killed 8 Might Spread Globally As More Cases 'expected'
A SUSPECTED outbreak of a deadly 'eye bleeding disease' has sparked fears of a wider spread.
So far, the Ebola-like illness has infected nine people and killed eight - with the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that "more cases are expected to be identified".
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World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of a suspected Marburg virus outbreak in TanzaniaCredit: Reuters
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It comes shortly after alarms were sounded over the virus in RwandaCredit: APCases of suspected Marburg virus disease were reported in the Kagera region of Tanzania, just months after alarms were sounded in neighbouring Rwanda.
Marburg - which has previously been flagged by the WHO as a "priority pathogen" with pandemic potential - is a severe, often fatal illness that can cause symptoms like fever, vomiting blood and diarrhoea, and uncontrolled bleeding from the eyes, nose and gums, at the later stages.
There is currently no way to cure it, though several vaccines and drugs are under development.
WHO was first alerted to the cases in Tanzania on January 10 after six people developed Marburg symptoms, with all but one dying.
As of January 11, nine suspected cases were reported including eight across two districts – Biharamulo and Muleba.
Eight of the nine people died, meaning the cases have a fatality rate of 89 per cent.
Tanzania's National Public Health Laboratory has collected samples from two patients for testing, but it still hasn't been officially confirmed that the outbreak has been caused my Marburg virus.
Health authorities also raced to identify people who've come in contact with the victims, including healthcare workers.
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There's a "high" risk of cases spreading further across Tanzania "due to several concerning factors," the WHO said in its report.
Is little-known hMPV virus ravaging China the NEW Covid?"The reporting of suspected Marburg virus disease cases from two districts suggests geographic spread.
"The delayed detection and isolation of cases, coupled with ongoing contact tracing, indicates lack of a full information of the current outbreak."
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a social media post: "We would expect further cases in coming days as disease surveillance improves."
It added that the source of the outbreak if currently unknown.
What is Marburg virus?
Marburg is a filovirus like its more famous cousin, Ebola.
These are part of a broader group of viruses that can cause viral haemorrhagic fever, a syndrome of fever and bleeding.
Up to 90 per cent of those infected die.
The first outbreaks occurred in 1967 in lab workers in Germany and Yugoslavia who were working with African green monkeys imported from Uganda.
The virus was identified in a lab in Marburg, Germany.
Since then, outbreaks have occurred in a handful of countries in Africa, less frequently than Ebola.
Marburg's natural host is a fruit bat, but it can also infect primates, pigs and other animals.
Human outbreaks start after a person has contact with an infected animal.
It's spread between people mainly through direct contact, especially with bodily fluids, and it causes an illness like Ebola, with fever, headache and malaise, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, and aches and pains.
The bleeding follows about five days later, and it can be fatal in up to 90 per cent of people infected.
There's also a high risk of the virus spreading wider across neighbouring countries "due to Kagera region's strategic location as a transit hub, with significant cross-border movement of the population to Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo", WHO officials added.
"Reportedly, some of the suspected cases are in districts near international borders, highlighting the potential for spread into neighbouring countries.
"Marburg is not easily transmissible. However, it cannot be excluded that a person exposed to the virus may be travelling."
As for the risk of transmission on a global level, this remains "low" according to the WHO.
"There is no confirmed international spread at this stage, although there are concerns about potential risks," it explained.
"Kagera region, while not close to Tanzania's capital or major international airports, is well-connected through transportation networks, and has an airport that connects to Dar es Salaam for onward travel outside Tanzania by air.
"This highlights the need for enhanced surveillance and case management capacities at relevant points of entry and borders, and close coordination with neighbouring countries to strengthen readiness capacities."
Dr Ghebreyesus said: "We recommend neighbouring countries be on alert and prepared to manage potential cases.
"We do not recommend travel or trade restrictions with Tanzania at this time."
Like Ebola, the Marburg virus originates in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with surfaces, such as contaminated bed sheets.
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Marburg is on the WHO's official watchlist of 'priority pathogens'
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Bats are a natural animal reservoir for the Marburg virusWithout treatment, Marburg can be fatal in up to 88 per cent of people who fall ill with the disease.
An outbreak of Marburg in Rwanda, first reported on September 27, was declared over on December 20.
Rwandan officials reported a total of 15 deaths and 66 cases, with healthcare workers who handled the first patients making up the majority of casualties.
In 2023, another Marburg outbreak in Tanzania's Kagera region lasted nearly two months, with nine cases and six deaths.
"Zoonotic reservoirs, such as fruit bats, remain endemic to the area," the WHO said.
Speaking to The Sun following the outbreak in Rwanda, Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said cases could "crop up in any country globally".
"The incubation period is between five and 15 days, plenty long enough for someone to get on a plane and fly anywhere in the world," he explained.
The incubation period of a virus is the time between exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms.
"Airport screening wouldn't eliminate that risk due to the long incubation period," Prof Paul said, as people could be travelling without showing any symptoms.
Outbreak Kills 8, Suspected Marburg Virus Has Terrifying 88% Fatality Rate
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported Wednesday that a suspected outbreak of Marburg disease has claimed eight lives in a remote region of northern Tanzania.
Why It MattersWithout treatment, Marburg, which is thought to originate from bats, can have a fatality rate of up to 88 percent, making it one of the deadliest known diseases. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, death from extreme blood loss.
What to KnowThe outbreak of Marburg disease, a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, has triggered an urgent response from health authorities, with efforts focused on containment and enhanced monitoring to address the potential spread.
What Is Marburg Virus?Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats and spreads between humans through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as soiled bedding.
A medical worker disinfects a tent used for suspected Ebola victims in the village of Madudu in Uganda on Nov. 1, 2022. An outbreak of Marburg disease, a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola,... A medical worker disinfects a tent used for suspected Ebola victims in the village of Madudu in Uganda on Nov. 1, 2022. An outbreak of Marburg disease, a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola, has triggered an urgent response from health authorities in Tanzania. More AP Is Marburg Disease Curable?There is no authorized vaccine or specific treatment for Marburg, increasing the urgency of containment measures as health officials respond to the outbreak in northern Tanzania.
Where Did Marburg Disease Come From?Previous outbreaks have occurred across sub-Saharan Africa; however, the first cases were recorded in Germany and Serbia (then part of Yugoslavia) in 1967 when laboratory workers handling African green monkeys imported from Uganda contracted the disease. That outbreak led to 31 cases and a total of seven deaths.
The largest outbreak on record occurred in 2005 in Angola, when 329 people died.
A fruit bat is seen at Bristol Zoo in England on Wednesday Aug. 31, 2022. Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats. A fruit bat is seen at Bristol Zoo in England on Wednesday Aug. 31, 2022. Similar to Ebola, the Marburg virus is believed to originate in fruit bats. Ben Birchall/PA Wire/APIn 2023, an outbreak in Kagera, a region of Tanzania bordering Rwanda, claimed at least five lives.
A recent outbreak in Rwanda, reported on Sept. 27, was declared over on Dec. 20. That outbreak resulted in 66 cases and 15 deaths, with health care workers handling the initial patients among the hardest hit.
What People Are SayingJimmy Whitworth, emeritus professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told Newsweek: "The incubation period for Marburg is anything up to three weeks. That means that somebody could have been infected but not actually have symptoms for several days."
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivers a speech in Lyon, France, on Dec. 17, 2024. Ghebreyesus said there had been at least nine cases so far in the current Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, resulting... WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivers a speech in Lyon, France, on Dec. 17, 2024. Ghebreyesus said there had been at least nine cases so far in the current Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, resulting in eight fatalities. More Laurent Cipriani/APWHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement: "We are aware of nine cases so far, including eight people who have died. We would expect further cases in coming days as disease surveillance improves."
What Happens NextThe WHO has assessed the risk from the suspected Marburg outbreak in northern Tanzania as high at national and regional levels, though it remains low globally.
Tanzanian health authorities have yet to comment on the situation.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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