Marburg Virus: Zanzibar Reassures International Travellers

The Government of Zanzibar has reassured the international community and relevant stakeholders that the islands of Zanzibar remain open for business and are ready to welcome travellers from around the world.

The reassurance is coming few weeks after the Marburg virus was first detected in Tanzania in March 2023.

According to a release issued by the government, the Zanzibar archipelago has yet to record a single case of the Marburg virus first detected in March 2023, in the north-west Kagera region of mainland Tanzania.

Since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, the archipelago has seen an influx of visitors from the United States of America and the Middle East as well as those from its core European markets. It is anticipated this trend will continue in the coming months and throughout summer.

While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended travelers avoid contact with sick individuals and monitor any potential symptoms, it has not advised against travelling to Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Furthermore, it is important to understand that the Islands of  Zanzibar are located in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, separated by at least 1,588kms of ocean and land between the islands and the Kagera region on the mainland. As such, it poses no risk of infection.

“While the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar is monitoring the situation closely, there is absolutely no cause for alarm,” said Tourism Minister Simai M Said. 

“Given that Covid-19 is still fresh in our minds, we understand that people are cautious when learning of new infections. However, such fears are often unfounded, such is the case now. Tanzania is adhering to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards and people have no reason to worry”.

“Members of the international business community and those visiting our beautiful region and islands can rest assured that it is very much business as usual, and their health is in no way at risk from this virus. In the next few weeks Tanzania should be free from the virus.”

Findings by Tanzania’s Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO show that as of the 4th of April 2023, the total number of remaining Marburg virus cases in the Kagera region was three, of which only two remain in isolation after one person was discharged on the 5th of April 2023.

“This is further evidence that the spread of the virus has been halted. As we prepare to welcome our annual influx of visitors from the Northern Hemisphere and the Middle East, they can be safe in the knowledge that the virus is contained and presents no threat to them or the citizens of Zanzibar,” comments Mr. Said.

Meanwhile, Tanzania has deployed rapid response teams for the purposes of contact tracing and monitoring risk communication activities, measures that are proving highly successful with limiting the spread of the virus in the Kagera region.

Zanzibar is set for a bumper tourist season, with the country already welcoming 65,430 international visitors in February – an increase of 39.2% on the 46,995 visitors recorded in February 2022.