Tanzania faces a deadly Marburg virus outbreak claiming 8 lives in Kagera Learn about the virus containment efforts and Africa CDCs swift action to prevent its spread

An outbreak of the Marburg virus has killed nine people in Tanzania, Africa's health agency said Thursday, up from eight suspected deaths reported by the World Health Organization last week.

Tanzanian President Samia Sululu Hassan confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus after its health ministry had previously denied the spread.

Tanzania's president has announced an outbreak of Marburg virus, an Ebola-like virus, just a week after her health minister denied that there were any cases in the country. President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at a press conference on Monday that health authorities had confirmed one case of Marburg in the north-western region of Kagera.

The two positive cases are among 31 samples tested, and officials are considering use of antivirals and experimental vaccine.

Tanzania’s president says one sample from a remote northern part of the country has tested positive for Marburg disease.

Tanzania has pushed back against a report from the World Health Organization warning of a new Marburg virus outbreak in the country.

Ugandan officials said the country was on high alert to prevent the spread of Marburg virus disease (MVD) following an outbreak in neighbouring Rwanda. A video shared on TikTok two months later purported to show Uganda’s health minister announcing that the virus had crossed the border,

The planned departure would leave the WHO scrambling to replace its top donor, which contributed $1.3 billion to the organization between 2022 and 2023.

Public health experts say the United States’ departure could cripple the WHO’s operations or leave an opening for China to assume greater control over the agency.

The World Health Organization called on the US to reconsider President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the agency, suggesting the move could undermine global health security. Most Read from BloombergT