UN News The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has advised against travel restrictions linked to the Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “considering the low global risk and the strong capabilities of the Tanzanian Government”, the UN agency’s assessment was that there should not be restrictions on trade and travel to the East African nation.
The WHO chief met Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday to assess the situation and support ongoing efforts.
Tedros’s comments came as Tanzania confirmed an outbreak of Marburg disease in northwestern Kagera region with one case confirmed.
At least nine suspected cases have already been reported and eight people have died.
Healthworkers were among those affected, and patients presented with similar symptoms including high fever, back pain, diarrhoea and vomiting with blood.
This is the second reported outbreak of the disease in Kagera – the first was almost two years ago, in March 2023, in which a total of nine cases and six deaths were reported.
Previously, the WHO has said that animal carriers of the disease such as fruit bats remain in the area.
Tedros said that following the outbreak, the Tanzanian authorities had scaled up their response by enhancing case detection, setting up treatment centres and a mobile laboratory to test samples. National response teams have also been deployed.
To support Tanzania’s response, the WHO has released $3 million from its emergencies fund.