Bukoba — Tanzanian caregivers and health attendants are urged to maintain preventive measures and infection‑control practices at all times following the confirmation of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the Kagera Region. MVD is a rare but severe hemorrhagic fever that affects both humans and non‑human primates. It is caused by the Marburg virus, a genetically unique zoonotic RNA virus belonging to the filovirus family.
The Minister for Health, Ms. Ummy Mwalimu, announced that the National Laboratory’s investigations confirmed the presence of Marburg virus in patient samples. She emphasized that there is no cause for alarm, as the disease is manageable and the government is capable of containing it. “The government has continued to strengthen measures to control further spread of Marburg disease detected in Kagera Region, including employing over 1,300 Community Health Workers (CHWs) who will be deployed to the region’s villages,” she said.
During a visit to Kagera on Saturday, the minister disclosed that CHWs will be dispatched to Bukoba District Council and Bukoba Municipal Council, with each hamlet receiving two CHWs, each village one, and each street three. The deployment involves a total of 1,322 CHWs, who will be employed temporarily for three months to intensify control measures. Ms. Mwalimu reassured the public that the virus is not new, citing previous outbreaks in neighboring Uganda (2017, 2014, 2012, 2007), the Democratic Republic of Congo (1998‑2000), as well as cases in America and Europe. “There is no cause for alarm. We will collaborate with our neighbours to ensure that those detected with the disease receive timely treatment,” she insisted.
The minister called on the public to adopt preventive measures and to report individuals exhibiting symptoms such as fever, headache, severe bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney dysfunction. While there is no specific cure for Marburg virus disease, supportive hospital therapy can alleviate symptoms. Transmission occurs through direct contact with infected body fluids, contaminated equipment, or materials, and can also result from handling or consuming infected animal carcasses.
According to the World Health Organization, the disease was first identified in Marburg, Germany, in 1967 and has since been reported in various African and European countries. Chief Medical Officer Prof. Tumaini Nagu reported that out of eight confirmed cases, five patients have died, including one Ministry of Health worker. The remaining three patients are still receiving treatment, and contact tracing is ongoing for 205 individuals in the region. Of those contacts, 89 are Ministry of Health workers and 116 are community members. All contacts are being monitored for 21 days.
Prof. Nagu noted that the outbreak appears contained within the villages of Bulinda and Butahyaibega in Maruku and Kanyangereko wards of Bukoba Rural District. The first diagnosed patient originated from Goziba Island on Lake Victoria and fell ill after arriving at Bukoba District Council. Additional cases include four family members and two health workers. She stressed the importance of health workers adhering to guidelines—hand washing, sanitizer use, avoiding contact with bleeding, diarrhoeic, or vomiting patients, and wearing gloves when necessary.
For all confirmed deaths, the community is urged to work with experts to ensure dignified yet safe burials to prevent further infection. Prof. Nagu called on community members to cooperate with the government in identifying contacts and providing timely care to those in need.
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