Africa CDC mobilises immediate response as Tanzania declares Marburg outbreak in Kagera region
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has also assured the country of support to enhance key outbreak control measures

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced it is mobilising strong support to help Tanzania contain the Marburg virus disease outbreak in the Kagera region.
It said a team of 12 public health experts will be deployed as part of an advance mission in the next 24 hours. The multidisciplinary team includes epidemiologists, risk communication, infection prevention and control (IPC), and laboratory experts to provide on-ground support for surveillance, IPC, diagnostics, and community engagement.
The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya has also engaged with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Minister of Health Jenista Mhagama to ensure coordinated efforts and secure political commitment for the response.
“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania in this critical moment. To support the government’s efforts, we are committing US$ 2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management. Building on Tanzania’s commendable response during the 2023 outbreak, we are confident that swift and decisive action, combined with our support and those of other partners, will bring this outbreak under control,” Dr. Kaseya stated.
Africa CDC has recently supported efforts to enhance the diagnostic and sequencing capacity of public health laboratories in Tanzania. PCR Test kits and genomic sequencing reagents have been dispatched, with additional supplies in the pipeline. To ensure rapid identification and confirmation of cases, the institution will also provide technical assistance to strengthen detection and genome sequencing for better characterization of the pathogen. Additionally, support will be provided to improve case management protocols and enhance the capacity to deliver safe and effective treatment.
Africa CDC is committed to working closely with the Government of Tanzania, regional partners, international organizations, and global stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, to stop the spread of the Marburg virus.
Tanzania yesterday confirmed the outbreak of the disease in the Kagera region after one person was confirmed positive for the virus after a laboratory analysis of a suspected case.
President Suluhu announced this during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country’s administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory tests confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said.
“We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around,” she added.
The president stated that a total of 25 suspected cases have been reported since January all of whom tested negative and are currently under close follow-up.
All the cases were reported in the Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” She said.
Ghebreyesus has assured Tanzania of support to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” Tedros said.
“He called for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in the region.
This comes a week after Mhagama issued a statement denying Marburg cases.
Mhagama said the tests conducted as of January 15 were all negative.
This was after the World Health Organization put Kenya and five other countries on high alert over Marburg disease after claims of the death of eight people in the Kagera region.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,” he said.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks the nation’s second encounter with the deadly virus, following the outbreak in Bukoba District of Kagera Region in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.