Mon Nov 17 18:04:09 UTC 2025: News Article:
Marburg Virus Outbreak in Ethiopia Claims Lives, Sparks Regional Alert
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Ethiopian health authorities are battling an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, a highly infectious hemorrhagic fever, after confirming three deaths in the country’s southern Omo region bordering South Sudan. Health Minister Mekdes Daba announced the deaths on Monday, triggering urgent containment measures across the region.
Laboratory tests confirmed the fatalities were caused by the Marburg virus, an Ebola-like pathogen. Another three deaths exhibiting similar symptoms are currently under investigation. The government has isolated 129 people who came into contact with confirmed patients and is closely monitoring their health.
Neighboring South Sudan has issued health advisories urging residents in border counties to avoid contact with bodily fluids as a precaution. Marburg virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials. Initial symptoms include severe fever, intense headaches, and muscle pain, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients can experience hemorrhaging from the nose, gums, and internal organs.
Ethiopian authorities first detected the virus on Wednesday after receiving alerts about a suspected hemorrhagic illness in the Jinka area. Seventeen individuals were tested, revealing at least nine infections before the initial deaths were confirmed.
“Work is progressing to bring the outbreak under control quickly through a coordinated national response,” Minister Daba stated. The government has activated emergency response centers and deployed rapid response teams to affected areas. She also noted that there are currently no active symptomatic cases being treated.
Ethiopia has established its own laboratory testing capacity for Marburg at the national public health institute, enabling independent diagnostics. International health teams from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have arrived to support containment efforts.
The ministry has launched a public awareness campaign, distributing information on symptoms and prevention measures in Amharic and establishing a hotline for reporting suspected cases.
The Marburg virus has a high fatality rate, averaging around 50%, but can reach as high as 88% in some outbreaks, according to WHO data. The UN health agency has warned that health workers are especially vulnerable to infection.
This outbreak adds to a concerning trend of hemorrhagic fever emergencies in East Africa. Tanzania experienced a Marburg outbreak earlier this year, claiming 10 lives, and Rwanda concluded its first recorded Marburg outbreak last December, with 15 deaths.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya has expressed particular concern about potential spillover into South Sudan, citing the country’s fragile healthcare system as a significant risk.
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