It Is Believed One Of The Index Cases In Tanzania Died Of Marburg In December 2024 -- At Least 300 Contacts To Trace...

One of the hardest parts of communicable disease management -- in public health circles, is often cajoling life-saving, compliant behaviors. . . from members of. . . the public. In this regard, Tanzania's health ministers are doing their country-wide populace. . . no favors, of late.

It is past time for those ministers to furnish any test results -- and original blood samples -- to WHO. Marburg, a viral cousin of Ebola, is lethal in nearly 70% of all cases -- so the problem. . . is decidedly urgent. Here's CIDRAP's fine -- and latest -- reporting on it all:

. . .At a WHO briefing [on January 16, 2025], however, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, urged Tanzania's government send its samples for testing to international reference labs and to collect additional samples in accordance with normal procedures. He also said the WHO is supporting Tanzania's response and has offered to provide any additional support that is needed. . . .

[One of the] suspected index case-patients is a 27-year-old pregnant woman who had an illness that progressed to hemorrhagic symptoms and died on December 16, 2024. So far, investigators have identified 300 contacts, including 56 healthcare workers. Africa CDC said 16 of the contacts had direct contact with sick patients.

. . .[T]he outbreak would be Tanzania's second Marburg event. In 2023, an outbreak in the same region resulted in nine illnesses, six of them fatal. . . .

Some of the issue here must be that at least some of the rural transmission chain is likely fueled by traveling mine workers -- who are known on occasion to visit sex workers. . . and so, the originally small outbreak crosses into new districts (with the resulting social stigmas helping to obscure its tracks). Very vexing -- as a public perception / psychology problem, as well.

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