Health

Urgent Warning for Travelers Over New Outbreak of Deadly 'Eye-Bleeding Disease' That Has Already Claimed Eight Lives.

January, 18, 2025-02:46

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Urgent Warning for Travelers Over New Outbreak of Deadly 'Eye-Bleeding Disease' That Has Already Claimed Eight Lives.

An untreatable Ebola-like virus is spreading in Tanzania, with global health authorities sounding the alarm. Marburg, one of the deadliest viruses ever identified, has already infected nine people, leading to eight fatalities. Currently, there are no vaccines or treatments available, leaving medical professionals focused on helping patients survive as best they can. This approach puts healthcare workers at significant risk, as the virus is transmitted through infected bodily fluids and can cause severe symptoms, including bleeding from the eyes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed teams to the Kagera region in north-eastern Tanzania, where all reported cases have occurred. Authorities are also urging doctors in neighboring countries like Rwanda and Burundi to be vigilant, raising concerns that the virus may be spreading unnoticed. The outbreak was first flagged last week when a mysterious illness affected six people, with five deaths, and preliminary tests suggested Marburg as the cause.

Marburg, a deadly haemorrhagic fever with a mortality rate of up to 88%, is currently spreading in Tanzania. As of January 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported nine suspected cases and eight deaths across two districts, Biharamulo and Muleba. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the virus, which causes severe internal and external bleeding, often from the eyes, mouth, and ears.

Marburg is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, contaminated objects, or infected wildlife, particularly fruit bats that inhabit mines or caves. Initial symptoms, including headaches, fever, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and vomiting, escalate quickly and can be hard to differentiate from other tropical diseases like Ebola and malaria. Infected patients may appear "ghost-like," with deep-set eyes and an expressionless face. The outbreak in Tanzania follows the recent resolution of a Marburg outbreak in neighbouring Rwanda.

"We expect more cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus earlier this week on X. Rwanda, which reported a total of 66 Marburg infections, saw 15 deaths, with roughly 80% of the cases affecting healthcare workers. The country's response was widely praised for achieving a relatively low death rate of 23%, the lowest ever recorded for a Marburg outbreak in Africa.

In March 2023, Tanzania’s Bukoba district experienced its first Marburg outbreak, which killed six people and lasted nearly two months. However, Tanzanian health authorities have not yet confirmed the current outbreak. The WHO stated that the source of this outbreak remains unknown and noted that delayed detection and the ongoing contact tracing efforts point to insufficient information about the situation. As a result, further cases are expected to be identified.