An outbreak of the Marburg virus has killed nine people in Tanzania, Africa's health agency said Thursday, up from eight suspected deaths reported by the World Health Organization last week.

Tanzania's president said a sample tested positive for the Marburg virus, which has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent if untreated.

Tanzanian President Samia Sululu Hassan confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus after its health ministry had previously denied the spread.

The two positive cases are among 31 samples tested, and officials are considering use of antivirals and experimental vaccine.

WHO reported Wednesday that a suspected outbreak of Marburg disease has claimed eight lives in a remote region of northern Tanzania.

Public health experts say the United States’ departure could cripple the WHO’s operations or leave an opening for China to assume greater control over the agency.

Tanzania's president has announced an outbreak of Marburg virus, an Ebola-like virus, just a week after her health minister denied that there were any cases in the country. President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at a press conference on Monday that health authorities had confirmed one case of Marburg in the north-western region of Kagera.

Tanzania faces a deadly Marburg virus outbreak, claiming 8 lives in Kagera region. The government and WHO are mobilizing efforts to prevent further spread.

Tanzania has pushed back against a report from the World Health Organization warning of a new Marburg virus outbreak in the country.

The planned departure would leave the WHO scrambling to replace its top donor, which contributed $1.3 billion to the organization between 2022 and 2023.

Ugandan officials said the country was on high alert to prevent the spread of Marburg virus disease (MVD) following an outbreak in neighbouring Rwanda. A video shared on TikTok two months later purported to show Uganda’s health minister announcing that the virus had crossed the border,

Tanzania’s president says one sample from a remote northern part of the country has tested positive for Marburg disease.