The ongoing Marburg virus disease outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania are the latest of several zoonotic diseases reported in the African region. The region has seen an increase of such outbreaks, recording a 63% rise between 2012 and 2022 compared with the previous decade. Zoonotic diseases represent approximately 32% of the region’s infectious disease outbreak reported between 2001 and 2022.

Dr Tieble Traore, Emergency Preparedness Technical Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa, explains how African countries should prepare to effectively respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks such as Marburg.