AA / Istanbul / Ilayda Cakirtekin
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that at least eight people have died following a suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus in Tanzania.
In a statement released on Tuesday, WHO said it received reports on January 10 of suspected cases in the Kagera region of Tanzania, manifesting symptoms including headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhea and vomiting accompanied by bleeding.
Samples taken from two patients have been collected and are being analyzed to confirm the outbreak, WHO said, adding that contact cases, including health professionals, have been identified and are being investigated. of follow-up.
“We are aware of 9 cases to date, including 8 people who died. We expect more cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He added that WHO was offering all its assistance to the Tanzanian government and communities affected by the epidemic.
-Tedros said the WHO recommended neighboring countries to be on alert and prepare to manage potential cases, but there were no restrictions on travel or trade with Tanzania for the moment.
The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as the Ebola virus, an extremely virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever. The virus is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spreads in humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces, and materials.
The cases come after an outbreak in Rwanda, which shares a border with Tanzania’s Kagera region, infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared contained on December 20.
*Translated from English by Mourad Belhaj
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