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.

“We believe that, as Tanzania successfully controlled the outbreak two years ago, the country will manage to control this disease as well. WHO is providing $3 million to support control efforts and strengthen disease monitoring systems,” Dr Tedros said.

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.

Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tanzania has 1 confirmed case of Marburg and 25 suspected cases all from the northwestern Kagera region. So far all 25 suspected case-patients have tested negative for the virus but remain under close surveillance.

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

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania's government said no-one in the country had tested positive for the Marburg virus after the World Health Organization (WHO) said at least eight people in the northwest were believed to have died from it.

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.

The government, through the Ministry of Health, has outlined measures to curb the spread of the Marburg virus after the cases was reported in the neighboring country, Tanzania. During a press conference held on Thursday,