The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Dodoma, Tanzania | THE INDEPENDENT | Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced that health officials have identified a positive case of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Biharamuro District, located in the northern Kagera Region close to Uganda.
The Tanzania President made the revelation today in a press briefing with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who arrived in the country to support their efforts. Samia revealed that the government had dispatched a team of experts to the region on January 11 this year to investigate the disease. Of the samples collected, only one case tested positive for the virus.
The announcement comes six days after the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the deaths of eight individuals in Kagera from a suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus.
The government is scaling up its response by enhancing case detection, establishing treatment centers, setting up a mobile laboratory for testing samples, and deploying national response teams.
Tanzania has gained experience in controlling Marburg previously, as this is the second reported outbreak of the disease in Kagera. The first outbreak was in March 2023.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) meanwhile confirmed that it has allocated $3 million (TZS 7.5 billion) from its Emergency Fund to support Tanzania’s efforts in combating the Marburg outbreak.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that this funding is in addition to the $50,000 previously provided to support the initial investigation.
