An outbreak of an unidentified disease occurred in southwestern Tanzania, which claimed the lives of at least 15 people. At least 50 other people have been hospitalised, as was reported by Africa Feeds.
The symptoms are characterized by nausea and vomit blood. Health officials said that victims die within hours after vomiting blood. However, the Tanzanian Ministry of Health has ruled out an outbreak of an unknown disease. At the same time, it sent an expert group to the area to study cases of infection.
The chief medical officer in the remote Chunya district of Mbeya city, Felista Kisandu confirmed that a team of medical experts have been deployed to assess patients and investigate the cause of the outbreak.
“This problem has not been widespread, it has happened in just a single administrative ward of Ifumbo where people vomit blood and die when they get to the hospital late,” Kisandu said.
She said initial clinical examination revealed the patients, mostly men, experienced stomach ulcers and liver disease. Kisandu added, “We have advised them to avoid drinking illicit brew, smoking cigarettes and other hard drinks.”
Hours after Kisandu’s comments, the Health Minister Dorothy Gwajika suspended Kisandu’s work for informing the local media about the new illness. The Ministry stated that similar symptoms had already been reported and known since 2018. The agency called on the public to remain calm.