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Tanzania announced the end of the Marburg virus epidemic on Thursday, after 42 days with no new cases reported.
With no new cases detected since the death of the last confirmed patient on January 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the conclusion of the epidemic.
“10 people have died, including two confirmed cases and eight probable cases,” according to the WHO.
Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO representative in Tanzania, commented: “Although the epidemic is over, we remain on alert and ready to respond rapidly if new cases emerge, while continuing our efforts to offer psychosocial support to affected families”.
The epidemic was declared on January 20 in the north-western region of Kagera, following a first outbreak in the same region in 2023.
The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as that which causes Ebola haemorrhagic fever.
The Marburg virus, transmitted to humans by fruit bats, spreads between humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as contaminated surfaces and materials.
Previous epidemics and isolated cases have been recorded in Africa, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda, according to the WHO.
