The World Health Organization has released US$ 3 million from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies to Tanzania’s response to the outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedro Ghebreyesus who disclosed this in his remarks the Press Briefing for the Marburg virus disease in Tanzania on Monday, added that this fund is in addition to the US$ 50 000 that the agency contributed earlier to support the initial investigation.
According to him, “Since the first suspected cases of Marburg were reported earlier, Tanzania has scaled up its response by enhancing case detection, setting treatment centres and a mobile laboratory for testing samples, and deploying national response teams. 
“As you know, Tanzania has gained strong experience in controlling Marburg, as this is the second reported outbreak of the disease in Kagera. The first outbreak was almost two years ago, in March 2023, in which a total of nine cases and six deaths were reported.
“The government’s investments in response to the last outbreak has built capacities that, I hope, will enable Tanzania to bring this latest outbreak under control as soon as possible”, the DG said
He thanked WHO’s partners, including the European Union, US government agencies, the United Kingdom, numerous national and international health partners, for their strong collaboration to bring this current outbreak under control, under the leadership of the government”. 
Gbeheyesus said, “Unfortunately, there are not yet any approved treatments or vaccines for Marburg, although several are in development. But outbreaks can be stopped quickly with proven public health measures to prevent infections and save lives, as Tanzania did in 2023.
He added, “Considering the low global risk, and the strong capabilities of the Tanzanian govt, WHO advises against restrictions on trade and travel to the country. As her Excellency said, Tanzania is open for business”.
The DG called for collaboration, commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease. 
“WHO, working with its partners and under the leadership of the govt, is committed to supporting the government to bring outbreak under control as soon as possible, to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania.
“WHO is proud to have supported Tanzania’s creation of new capacities for delivering health services, including by training health workers. All this and more demonstrates the govt’s commitment to supporting the health of all Tanzanians especially women and children to reduce mortality.”
Earlier report that the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a suspected Marburg virus outbreak affecting a part of Tanzania that has previously experienced an outbreak.
The group said it received report on January 10 from reliable in-country sources of six suspected cases in Kagera region, five of them fatal.
The patients had similar viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) symptoms, which included headache, high fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, and vomiting with blood. VHF pathogens spread among humans through contact with infected body fluids.
As of January 11, nine suspected cases were reported, eight of them fatal. The WHO said health workers are among the suspected cases, which underscores the high risk of healthcare-related transmission.
Kagera region is in the far northwestern part of the country on the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The WHO said the patients are from two neighboring districts, Biharamulo and Muleba.
