The WHO has reported a “high” regional and national risk from the haemorrhagic virus while the global risk remains low.

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

THE government has announced that it is closely monitoring the ongoing Marburg outbreak in the country. Roida Andusamile, the Health ministry spokesperson, said in an interview yesterday that health authorities are intensifying efforts to investigate the outbreak.

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.

Tanzania has confirmed a positive case of Marburg virus in a remote northern region. Marburg is a lethal pathogen, with a mortality rate of up to 88% in untreated cases. This virus, akin to Ebola, originates from fruit bats and transmits through close contact with infected individuals' bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.