Tanzania is facing a deadly virus outbreak (Image: Getty)
The Foreign Office has warned British travellers of mandatory checks in Tanzania due to a deadly .
An update issued on the Foreign Office travel advice page for Tanzania reads: “You must be ready to show your return or onward ticket at border control. The Government of Tanzania issued a travel advisory note on 21 January, mandating that travellers have their body temperature checked at all points of entry following an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Kagera region.”
All travellers to must now undergo temperature checks at all points of entry. Those leaving the Kagera region face additional requirements, including mandatory exit screening and completion of an online form.
The stated: “Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
“The average MVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 24% to 88% in past outbreaks.
The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats (Image: Getty)
“Early supportive care with rehydration, and symptomatic treatment improves survival. There are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for MVD, but a range of vaccines and drug therapies are under development.”
The Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-human transmission. Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks, the WHO has stated.
Marburg virus can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.
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It begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. Muscle aches and pains are a common feature.
Severe watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting can begin on the third day. Non-itchy rash have been reported in patients between two and seven days after onset of symptoms.
The WHO warned: “In fatal cases, death occurs most often between eight and nine days after symptom onset, usually preceded by severe blood loss and shock.” Currently there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved for the virus.