WHO chief advises against travel restrictions to Tanzania due to Marburg virus alert

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – Head of the World Health Organization has Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday 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.

Tedros met Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday to assess the situation and support ongoing efforts.

His comments came as Tanzania confirmed an outbreak of Marburg disease in northwestern Kagera region.

It reported 9 suspected cases and eight people have died.

Health workers were among those affected, and patients presented with similar symptoms including high fever, back pain, diarrhoea and vomiting with blood, WHO noted.

The agency said that this is the second reported outbreak of the disease in Kagera the first was two years ago, in March 2023, in which a total of nine cases and six deaths were reported.

WHO has said that animal carriers of the disease such as fruit bats remain in the area.

Tedros said that 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.

WHO has released $3 million from its emergencies fund to support Tanzania efforts to fight Marburg virus. .