Tanzania has extinguished a deadly outbreak of Marburg virus, but elsewhere across Africa, an alarming surge of health crises continue to unfold – including expanding mpox infections in Uganda, a cholera outbreak in Angola and a first-ever cholera case in neighbouring Namibia.

The Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania has officially ended, Tanzanian health authorities declared Thursday, marking a pivotal achievement in the continent’s ongoing battle against highly lethal infectious diseases. The success reflects the effectiveness of the coordinated international health response, said Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), commending the Tanzanian government’s swift and decisive action at a press briefing on Thursday.

Infamous for its haemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus kills up to 88% of those infected, posing a significant threat after it rapidly spread across Tanzania. The outbreak, declared on 20 January 2025, resulted in 10 fatalities –  eight probable and two laboratory-confirmed cases. Tanzanian authorities implemented containment measures, with substantial technical and logistical assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC, including disease surveillance enhancements and extensive frontline health worker training.

WHO’s Regional Office for Africa confirmed that the outbreak officially ended after 42 days had passed without new cases, meeting the criteria to declare an outbreak over; it commended Tanzanian authorities for prompt action in squashing the outbreak. 

WHO, Africa CDC cooperation to quell Marburg

This marks Tanzania’s second successful containment of Marburg, following an outbreak in the same northeastern Kagera region in 2023. In this year’s outbreak, WHO said it collaborated with Tanzanian health authorities to scale up surveillance and response activities, training over 1,000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical management, and risk communication, and delivering over five tonnes of essential medical supplies.

“While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak,” said Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania.

Kaseya also emphasized Africa CDC’s supportive role, including substantial assistance in laboratory reinforcement, provision of diagnostic kits capable of thousands of tests, and extensive healthcare worker training programs. These interventions enabled rapid case identification, isolation, and treatment – crucially preventing the virus’s broader spread.

Persistent health emergencies across Africa

But even as Tanzania celebrates its victory over Marburg, outbreaks of mpox, Ebola, cholera, and COVID-19 are placing immense pressure on healthcare systems across Africa, revealing systemic weaknesses and vulnerabilities, Kaseya emphasized.

Uganda continues to face a troubling escalation of mpox – even though although recent weeks have seen no new cases of the even more deadly Ebola virus. Uganda’s mpox epicenter is in the country’s south-central region around the capital Kampala area.  And nearby, on the shores of Lake Victoria, the overwhelmed Entebbe treatment center has seen most of Uganda’s mpox-related fatalities. Kaseya emphasized the urgent need for expanded isolation facilities, increased healthcare staffing, and strategies for home-based patient care to manage mild cases effectively.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) presents its own complex scenario, further complicated by continuing violence and instability in the North and South Kivu regions of Eastern DRC, where Rwanda-supported M-23 militia have made big inroads against government forces. Over 600 mpox patients fled treatment centers in the regional capital of Goma, Bukavu and other areas that were overrun by rebel forces, creating significant challenges in tracking and managing the disease. There are intensified efforts to establish humanitarian corridors, involving community health workers tasked with locating and reintegrating affected individuals into the health system. However, until a cease-fire is reached, insecurity will likely hamper those efforts, Kaseya said. 

Funding shortfalls threaten containment efforts

Kaseya also revealed that funding shortages present a severe obstacle. Dramatic cuts to international aid, notably from traditional donors such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have only exacerbated the situation. These reductions, he said, significantly affect Africa’s capacity to manage public health crises effectively, creating urgent shortfalls in vital resources needed for outbreak response and containment efforts.

“Mpox remains a serious concern,” Kaseya warned. “We are facing a critical risk. Without sufficient vaccines, we will inevitably see more cases.”

The financial strain extends beyond mpox. Angola now faces an ongoing cholera outbreak, for which Africa CDC is providing emergency support, delivering 2,000 doses of oral cholera vaccines. Primarily affecting children, the cholera crisis in Angola highlights continued regional challenges in water and sanitation infrastructure. And neighbouring, Namibia recently reported its first cholera case in nearly a decade within a community near the Angola border – underscoring the interconnected fragility of public health systems across the region.

Seeking sustainable solutions

Amid these pressing challenges, Kaseya articulated Africa CDC’s commitment to fostering innovative and sustainable financing solutions. At the forthcoming World Bank and IMF spring meetings, African health and finance officials will participate in discussions with multilateral development agencies about how they can enhance national resilience and promote self-reliance in managing public health threats. Emphasizing the importance of national ownership, sustainable funding mechanisms, and strengthening local manufacturing capabilities, Kaseya advocated for sustained international engagement and solidarity.

“Health security in Africa is global health security,” Kaseya reiterated.

Image Credits: WHO, Africa CDC, Africa CDC.