Health Minister Mekdes Daba told journalists that authorities are conducting coordinated efforts to trace, identify, and isolate anyone who may have been exposed to the virus.
The outbreak, confirmed on 14 November following laboratory testing of samples from suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases, marks the first-ever Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) acknowledged the situation, noting that further epidemiological investigations and laboratory analyses are ongoing. Preliminary results suggest that the virus strain shows similarities to Marburg strains previously detected in East Africa.
The Marburg virus, a member of the same virus family as Ebola, causes severe haemorrhagic fever and has a high fatality rate. Symptoms typically appear within a week of exposure and include high fever, severe headache, and other severe health complications.
On 13 November, the World Health Organization (WHO) deployed an emergency team and medical supplies to support Ethiopian authorities in responding to the suspected cases in the Southern Ethiopia region. Eight suspected cases have been reported so far, with laboratory testing ongoing at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) to confirm the cause.
Marburg outbreaks and isolated cases have previously been recorded in Rwanda, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, underscoring the virus’ potential to spread across the region.