Nine people have died from a new outbreak of an Ebola-like virus that causes bleeding from the eyes, global health leaders have warned.
Marburg, one of the deadliest pathogens ever discovered, has already infected ten people in the African nation of Tanzania since the country officially declared the outbreak last week.
Of those infections, nine have died, the African health agency said — reflecting the virus's 90 percent fatality rate.
The cases have been reported in Tanzania's Kagera region. This region is located in the north-west of the country and has a population of almost three million.
But, as the country's main international airport in the capital Dar es Salaam is easily accessible by train, experts are concerned that the disease could spread further, The Sun reported.
Ngashi Ngongo, from the Africa Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said during an online briefing that they are doing everything they can in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to limit the consequences of the outbreak.
Authorities have identified "about 281 contacts" of the 10 cases, who are being closely monitored for infections.
"A total of 31 tests have been done, two have been positive, and 29 I believe are negative," he said.eat Ngongo, GazetaExpress reports.
There is currently no vaccine or treatment available, meaning doctors are forced to focus on helping patients survive the infection.
This often exposes them directly to the risk of the virus, which can cause bleeding from the eyes.
Marburg is a hemorrhagic fever — where organs and blood vessels are damaged, causing bleeding inside the body or from the eyes, mouth, and ears.
The virus can be spread by touching or handling the bodily fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects, or infected wildlife. It is said to be initially transmitted to humans after prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by bats.
Symptoms appear suddenly and include severe headaches, fever, diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting. They become increasingly severe.
In the early stages of Marburg hemorrhagic fever, it is very difficult to distinguish from other tropical diseases, such as Ebola and malaria.
Infected patients become "ghost-like," often developing sunken eyes and expressionless faces.
The WHO says it has a case fatality ratio (CFR) of up to 88 percent, meaning it can kill nearly nine out of ten people it infects.
The outbreak in Tanzania occurred less than a month after the Marburg outbreak in the neighboring country of Rwanda, which was officially declared closed.
A total of 66 people were infected, about 80 percent of whom were healthcare workers.
The country reported 15 deaths, and Rwanda's response was internationally praised for its low mortality rate of 23 percent — the lowest ever for a Marburg outbreak in Africa.
In March 2023, about 6 people died in the Bukoba district of Tanzania after the first outbreak of the Marburg virus, which lasted almost two months.
"We can expect more cases in the coming days as surveillance of the disease improves," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at X earlier this month.
However, while the regional threat is present, the global risk remains low as the virus does not spread easily from one person to another, the WHO said.. /GazetaExpress/
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