Tanzania’s president has announced an outbreak of Marburg virus, just a week after the country’s health minister denied there were any cases in the country.

Marburg virus is an Ebola-like virus that leads to fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea, vomiting and, in some cases, death through extreme blood loss.

Highly infectious, it is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, and according to the WHO, kills about half of the people it infects.

Tanzania has confirmed one case and identified 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region.

The cause of eight deaths reported by the WHO is also yet to be revealed.

The Africa CDC says it is mobilizing strong support to help contain the outbreak.

It says a team of 12 public health experts will be deployed as part of an advance mission in the next 24 hours.

The multidisciplinary team includes epidemiologists, risk communication, infection prevention and control, and laboratory experts to provide on-ground support for surveillance, IPC, diagnostics, and community engagement.