Tanzania: MSF supports response to outbreak of Marburg virus disease
Under the lead of the Ministry of Health, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is actively supporting the response to an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Tanzania’s Kagera region, following the official declaration of the outbreak by authorities on Jan. 20, 2025.
Working alongside the Ministry of Health and other partners including the World Health Organization, an MSF team with experience responding to epidemics is in Kagera region to strengthen local response capacity by training healthcare staff and providing essential protective and medical equipment.
“The Tanzanian authorities have made significant efforts to contain the epidemic and promote collaboration between various health agencies,” says MSF country director Tommaso Santo. “For the time being, our response is focused on technical aspects, such as reinforcing case management capacities and implementing infection prevention and control measures.”
MSF will ensure our response contributes effectively to limiting the impact of the outbreak on affected communities and preventing the disease from spreading further. As of Jan. 28, the Ministry of Health has reported two confirmed cases, two deaths among confirmed cases and eight additional probable deaths, with 64 suspected cases and 281 contacts being monitored for symptoms of the disease.
