Tanzania declares Marburg fever outbreak over

The Tanzanian government on Friday declared the end of the outbreak of Marburg fever confirmed there more than two months ago.

A World Health Organization (WHO) statement said there had been a total of nine cases, eight confirmed and one probable, and six deaths since the outbreak was declared on March 21.

The last confirmed case tested negative for the second test on April 19, starting the six-week countdown to declare the end of the outbreak, the WHO said. It was Tanzania's first outbreak of the deadly disease.

Equatorial Guinea was also assuming that its Marburg fever outbreak had been contained, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva. The government there could declare an end to the outbreak next week, provided that no new cases were found.

Up to May 1, the health authorities there found 17 confirmed and 23 probable cases. Thirty-five people died from the disease.

Protective measures were put in place in both countries with the assistance of the WHO.

Marburg fever is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among human through direct contact with bodily fluids. The WHO describes the virus as highly virulent and in the same family as the Ebola virus, both causing haemorrhagic fever.

"Illness begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache, and severe malaise. Many patients develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days," it says.