Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania: A threat to global health security

Abstract

The current Marburg virus (MARV) outbreak in Tanzania served as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by emerging infectious diseases and the urgent need for global health security. The Tanzanian Ministry of Health (MoH) officially declared the outbreak on March 21, 2023. Eight cases in all, five of which included fatalities, have been reported in the country at present. The virus is a member of the Filoviridae family closely related to the widely known Ebola virus. Similar to other filoviruses, MARV causes acute and lethal hemorrhagic fever in both human and nonhuman primates with high case fatality rates ranging from 24% to 90%. The outbreak has highlighted the need for improved disease surveillance and response systems, as well as increased funding for research into emerging infectious diseases. The Tanzanian MoH has deployed a response team to investigate and monitor the transmission in the Kagera Region. The team works closely in collaboration with other organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, to ensure the effective control of the situation. Although there is no vaccine or treatment approved for Marburg virus disease (MVD), supportive management improves survival. Existing infection prevention and control protocols for Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as isolation and use of appropriate personal protective equipment can be used to prevent transmission of MVD. The global community must work together to strengthen health systems, enhance research efforts, and build resilient and responsive health systems to prevent future outbreaks of this kind. In this article, we have analyzed the MVD outbreak in Tanzania, specifically in the Bukoba district of the Kagera Region, and provided recommendations for the management of the current outbreak and future outbreaks.