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.

A case of the bleeding virus Marburg has been confirmed in Tanzania, a week after authorities denied there was an outbreak. The deadly illness similar to Ebola is highly infectious, and can kill up to 88% of people without treatment.

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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.

The disease is a close cousin of Ebola, causing similar symptoms and spreading in the same way. It can cause death in up to 88% of infected people.

Tanzania has confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease after one person tested positive in the Kagera region of the country.

Tanzania has confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for

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

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

Officials previously questioned whether the deadly disease was indeed present in the African country, which had seen 8 suspected Marburg deaths.