The Tanzanian Ministry of Health has confirmed that Marburg, a fatal disease resembling Ebola, is not a threat to Tanzania.

Local English newspaper Daily Times quoted a ministry source assaying that the Tanzanian government had taken necessary precautions and had been monitoring the spread of the disease.

"Angola is too far from here," said ministry communication officer Nsachris Mwamwaja, "We have no doubt whatsoever about the chances of the disease occurring here. We have a strong team of experts who deal with outbreaks (of pandemics)."

An outbreak of Marburg in Angola has claimed the lives of 184 people, mostly children, and sickened at least 213 so far, according to a World Health Organization report.

The deadly Marburg virus, closely related to the Ebola virus, causes severe hemorrhagic fever. Victims bleed, often from every orifice and every organ, to death. Few infections are as deadly.

Early symptoms of the Marburg fever include stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. Victims then encounter fever, chills, headache, chest pain and internal bleeding.

Marburg is caused by an animal-borne RNA virus of the filovirus family that has an incubation period of between five and 21 days.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Health disseminated information on how the disease of Ebola spreads to warn the public when the disease broke out in neighboring Uganda in 2000.

Source: Xinhua