The United Arab Emirates has just issued a travel advisory, warning its people against flying to Tanzania and Guinea over what is being described as health concerns due to the Marburg Disease outbreak.
According to the Gulf News, the UAE Government recommends that all Emiratis postpone their travel plans to Africa, but especially these two destinations until further notice, for their safety.
The news source maintains that the reason why the United Arab Emirates is warning its people not to travel to Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea is simply due to the recent outbreak of the Marburg virus.
However, the Ministry of Health in Tanzania says the Marburg Virus outbreak was minimal and occurred in just one district of Bukoba in Kagera Region and since its occurrence in the area, over two weeks ago no new cases have come up.
All the same, in a bid to ensure the safety of Emirati residents, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has recommended that its people should still shelve all travel plans to Tanzania and Guinea and await other developments.
A statement issued by the ministry in the Gulf also urges Emiratis who are currently in Tanzania or Equatorial Guinea to exercise caution and follow the safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
In case of an emergency, the UAE advises Emiratis in Tanzania and Guinea to contact the ministry through the hotline number 0097180024.
The Marburg virus disease is a rare but deadly viral disease that is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, vomit, or saliva.
Tanzania confirmed its first-ever cases of Marburg Virus Disease after conducting laboratory tests in the country’s northwest Kagera region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement.
Five of the eight confirmed cases have died, including a health worker while the remaining three underwent successful treatments.
Tanzania has also been monitoring 161 contacts of those infected, but so far there have been no reports of added infections.
Equatorial Guinea also reported its first ever cases of Marburg outbreak and so far, four suspected victims have died.
To learn more about the Marburg Outbreak in Tanzania Read Here