from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania Tanzania Bureau DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) AFTER six deaths and nine cases reported, Tanzania has declared the end of the Marburg Virus disease.The end is thanks to the national health authorities, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organisations, immediately rolling out a response plan after the outbreak was declared on March 21.This eruption in the north-western Kagera region was the country’s first outbreak of the disease.

In support of the national efforts, the WHO office in Tanzania deployed outbreak response experts to reinforce surveillance, testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, treatment and community engagement.Additionally, with partners, WHO shipped nearly three tons of supplies of personal protective equipment and is also working with the Ministry of Health to support survivors of the disease.

The last confirmed case tested negative for the second test of Marburg on 19 April, setting off the 42-day mandatory countdown to declare the end of the outbreak.”Thanks to these efforts, Tanzania has been able to end this outbreak and limit the potentially devastating impacts of a highly infectious disease,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said.

cross Africa, WHO has been working with countries to reinforce readiness and response to health emergencies, with teams of first responders trained in the key aspects of outbreak preparedness, response and control.In Tanzania, teams of responders one trained in March 2023 and another in 2022 as neighbouring Uganda battled an outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease were instrumental in controlling the Marburg outbreak.

“With the investments being made to prepare for and tackle health emergencies in the region, we are responding even faster and more effectively to save lives, livelihoods and safeguard health,” Moeti said.Marburg is highly virulent and causes hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88 percent.

It is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease.The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.

There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus. However, supportive care rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.

In Africa, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and Uganda. CAJ News

Source: CAJ News Agency