A case of the bleeding virus Marburg has been confirmed in Tanzania, a week after authorities denied there was an outbreak. The deadly illness similar to Ebola is highly infectious, and can kill up to 88% of people without treatment.

The 2 positive cases are among 31 samples tested, and officials are considering use of antivirals and experimental vaccine.

An outbreak of the Marburg virus has killed nine people in Tanzania, Africa's health agency said Thursday, up from eight suspected deaths reported by the World Health Organization last week.

Tanzania's president says she is "confident" the country will "overcome" the highly infectious Marburg.

“We believe that, as Tanzania successfully controlled the outbreak two years ago, the country will manage to control this disease as well. WHO is providing $3 million to support control efforts and strengthen disease monitoring systems,” Dr Tedros said.

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Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan confirmed on Monday that there was a new outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the East African country.

Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tanzania has 1 confirmed case of Marburg and 25 suspected cases all from the northwestern Kagera region. So far all 25 suspected case-patients have tested negative for the virus but remain under close surveillance.

Tanzania has confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for

Tanzania's president said a sample tested positive for the Marburg virus, which has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent if untreated.