Tanzania’s president said Monday that one sample from a remote part of northern Tanzania tested positive for Marburg disease, a highly infectious virus which can be fatal in up to 88% of cases without treatment.

Dr. Tedros highlighted the collaborative effort, stating, “WHO is committed to supporting Tanzania in bringing this outbreak under control while working toward a healthier and safer future for all.”

In March 2023, Tanzania experienced its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease, a rare and deadly hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. That outbreak also occurred in the Kagera region, which borders Uganda and Rwanda.

Tanzania has dismissed a World Health Organisation (WHO) report of a suspected new outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in the north-west of the country. On Tuesday, the global health agency said a total of nine suspected cases were reported over the last five days in the Kagera region, including eight deaths.

In March 2023, Tanzania reported its first Marburg virus outbreak, which also occurred in Kagera region. The outbreak was declared over in June 2023, with nine infections reported, six of them fatal. The WHO said zoonotic reservoirs of the virus, such as fruit bats, remain in the area.

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan confirmed on Monday that there was a new outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the East African country.

The Tanzanian government has denied reports by the World Health Organsation (WHO) of a suspected new outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the northwestern

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.

Officials previously questioned whether the deadly disease was indeed present in the African country, which had seen 8 suspected Marburg deaths.