Health officials in Tanzania are investigating a mystery disease outbreak in the country's southern part that has infected more than a dozen people and killed at least three.
Tanzanian government's chief medical officer Dr. Aifello Sichalwe announced on July 13 that the government has already dispatched a team to investigate the mystery disease outbreak in the southeastern region of Lindi. They are joined by a group of health experts from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Ebola-Like Infection Spreading in Tanzania
There are currently 13 infected people and three deaths due to the mysterious disease spreading in Mbekenyera village in the East African nation's Lindi region, ABC News reported. The country has never officially recorded any Ebola or Marburg virus diseases in the past, but infected individuals are showing Ebola-like symptoms, including fever, headaches, fatigue, and nosebleed.
Despite the similarities in symptoms, test results show that they are negative for both viruses, as well as for COVID-19 infection. Dr. Sichalwe urges the public to remain calm during his press briefing earlier this week. The first case was reported on July 5 at Mbekenyera Health Center, wherein the hospital received another case just three days later.
Dr. Sichalwe said that while 13 patients have been recorded with the disease, two people isolated at the hospital have recovered and been discharged. Today, only five of them remain in the isolation facility.
The Tanzanian Ministry of Health has begun contact tracing, identifying people with similar symptoms, and isolating suspected patients. Dr. Sichalwe added that those who had contact with confirmed or suspected cases are being monitored for 21 days. The health ministry advises anyone experiencing similar symptoms to immediately seek medical help
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Is It a Zoonotic Disease?
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that the recent outbreak in Lindi could be due to the increasing interaction between humans and wild animals. The reports on the disease outbreak come days after Ghana reported two suspected cases of Marburg virus, a type of viral hemorrhagic fever like Ebola that infects people and non-human primates.
Dr. Fiona Braka, team lead for emergency responses at WHO's regional office in Africa, confirmed that Tanzanian health experts are working with their team to investigate the mysterious disease further and monitor the situation closely. Given that they tested negative for Ebola and Marburg, experts are sequencing samples from patients to identify its cause.
On Thursday, July 14, WHO warned that Africa is facing a growing risk of outbreaks of zoonotic diseases with a 63% increase in the region in the past decade from 2012 to 2022, compared to the 2001 to 2011 record.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), zoonotic diseases are caused by pathogens like bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that spread from animals to humans. Zoonotic diseases are common in which 6 out of 10 infectious diseases in people can come from animals, and about 75% of emerging diseases come from animals.
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