Tanzanian President Samia Sululu Hassan confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus after its health ministry had previously denied the spread.

The disease, which is similar to Ebola, can spread between humans through bodily fluids and lead to hemorrhaging and death.

The World Health Organization says an outbreak of suspected Marburg disease has killed eight people in a remote part of northern Tanzania

Officials previously questioned whether the deadly disease was indeed present in the African country, which had seen 8 suspected Marburg deaths.

A suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus in northwest Tanzania has infected nine people, killing eight of them, the World Health Organization has said, weeks after an outbreak of the disease was declared over in neighbouring Rwanda.

Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced that health officials have identified a positive case of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Biharamuro District, located in the northern Kagera Region close to Uganda.

Tanzania's president has announced an outbreak of Marburg virus, an Ebola-like virus, just a week after her health minister denied that there were any cases in the country. President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at a press conference on Monday that health authorities had confirmed one case of Marburg in the north-western region of Kagera.

Tanzania’s president says one sample from a remote northern part of the country has tested positive for Marburg disease

Tanzania’s president said Monday that one sample from a remote part of northern Tanzania tested positive for Marburg disease, a highly infectious virus which can be fatal in up to 88% of cases without treatment.