'Bleeding eyes' virus with no vaccine or cure kills eight after outbreak in new country

Marburg Virus Disease has been detected in Tanzania with nine cases reported so far - eight of those infected have sadly died as the World Health Organisation issues a new warning

A chilling warning has been issued by the World Health Organisation after a new outbreak of a dangerous virus that has left at least eight people dead.

Two districts in the northwest Kagera region of Tanzania have reported outbreaks of the Marburg virus, known for its high fatality rate. Now the World Health Organisation (WHO) is investigating a total of nine suspected cases, of which eigh of those resulted in deaths in the districts of Biharamulo and Muleba.

Known as the "bleeding eyes" disease, Marburg has a 50-50 survival rate and is believed to be among the deadliest diseases on earth. There are fears of the brutal illness spreading as the location of the outbreak is highly populated and used as a "hub".

WHO said they received "reliable reports from in-country sources" on January 10 regarding six suspected cases of Marburg, of which five of the infected had died. Just a day later, that rose to nine cases and eight deaths. WHO said: "The cases presented with similar symptoms of headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhoea, haematemesis (vomiting blood), malaise (body weakness), and, at a later stage of disease, external haemorrhage (bleeding from orifices)."

"We would expect further cases in coming days as disease surveillance improves," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "WHO has offered its full assistance to the government of Tanzania, and to affected communities. Marburg virus disease is an infectious, severe and often fatal disease caused by filovirus. Rapid action saves lives, including ensuring people with symptoms receive prompt care.

"We recommend neighbouring countries be on alert and prepared to manage potential cases. We do not recommend travel or trade restrictions with Tanzania at this time."

Samples have been taken from two patients and tested by the National Public Health Laboratory. WHO has said contacts, including healthcare workers, are reported to have been "identified and under follow-up in both districts."

The horrifying disease often kills its victims through blood loss or shock and you can be infected without symptoms for 21 days while the disease incubates in your body, before symptoms start abruptly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. Marburg exists in bats, but does not seem to harm them with outbreaks seeming to occur when the virus is passed from a bat to a human before it is then able to spread through the human population.

“Once introduced in the human population, Marburg virus can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids,” the WHO said.

People cannot transmit the disease before they have symptoms and remain infectious as long as their blood contains the virus. The virus has an incubation period of two to 21 days, after which they can appear abruptly.

In a statement on its site, WHO said: "The Bkoba district in the Kagera region experienced its first MVD outbreak in March 2023, and zoonotic reservoirs, such as fruit bats, remain endemic to the area. The outbreak in March 2023 lasted for nearly two months with nine cases including six deaths."