AN outbreak of a lethal 'eye-bleeding' virus has been confirmed in Tanzania, the president has announced.
It comes just a week after her health minister denied that there were any cases in the African country.
So far, one person has tested positive for Marburg, an Ebola-like virus, that is highly infectious and can be fatal in up to 90 per cent of cases.
"We are confident that we will overcome this challenge once again," President Samia Suluhu Hassan said, referring to a previous outbreak in Tanzania two years ago.
Health chiefs from the World Health Organisation (WHO) first reported a suspected Marburg outbreak on January 14.
But Tanzania's health minister Jenista Mhagama said in a statement that after samples had been analysed, all suspected cases were found negative for Marburg.
At Monday's press briefing, which was held jointly with the WHO, President Samia said that further tests had confirmed a case of Marburg in Kagera.
The region, located in the northwest of the country with a population of nearly 3 million, is connected by train to Dar es Salaam which has an international airport, raising concerns about potential wider spread.
Tanzania says that along with the one confirmed case, authorities took samples from 24 other people suspected of having Marburg.
These all tested negative.
Meanwhile, the cause of the eight deaths reported by the WHO has yet to be revealed.
The United Nations organisation is helping Tanzania ramp up outbreak control, including testing and treatment.
"The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's regional director for Africa, said.
Dr Tedros said the global risk from Tanzania's current outbreak was "low".
"Even though there is no approved treatment or vaccines, outbreaks can be stopped quickly," he said.
"WHO advises against restrictions. Now is the time for collaboration."
Marburg has been flagged by the WHO as a "priority pathogen" with pandemic potential.
Previous outbreaks have seen around half of those infected die, though in places where health care is poor, that has risen to nearly 90 per cent.
The virus is highly infectious spreading among humans through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, muscus.
There is currently no way to cure it, though several vaccines and drugs are under development.
Early symptoms can resemble those of more common illnesses like the flu, including muscle aches, fever, and chills.
Vomiting blood and diarrhoea, and uncontrolled bleeding from the eyes, nose and gums, can emerge in the later stages before - in some cases - death.
Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023 in the Bukoba district.
It killed six people and lasted for nearly two months.
Speaking to The Sun following the outbreak in Rwanda, Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said cases could "crop up in any country globally".
"The incubation period is between five and 15 days, plenty long enough for someone to get on a plane and fly anywhere in the world," he explained.
The incubation period of a virus is the time between exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms.
"Airport screening wouldn't eliminate that risk due to the long incubation period," Prof Paul said, as people could be travelling without showing any symptoms.